She hesitated for a moment.
“He was quite dead,” she said, slowly. “There was an inquest, and they decided that he must have been attacked somewhere in the wood between the downs and Yellow House. There were all the marks of a struggle within a few hundred yards of the road.”
“Did they bring in a verdict of murder?” I asked.
Alice nodded.
“Yes,” she assented, gravely. “He was murdered. It seems that he was lately come from abroad. He had been staying at Lady Naselton’s, but she knew scarcely anything about him. He was kind to her son abroad. I think they just know his name and that was all. They had no idea where to send to or if he had any near relatives alive. It was all very odd.”
“Was he robbed?” I asked.
“No. His watch and money were found in his pocket undisturbed. If anything was taken from it it must have been papers only. The police are trying hard to find a clue, but they say that it is a very difficult case. No one seems to have seen him at all after he left Naselton Hall.”
I caught at the side of my chair.
“No one at all?” I asked.
“Not a soul.”