"Yes—a lot, sir; but I do not understand it. Let me tell you what these signs tell me. My father crossed here alone, and went somewhere across the common, and I do not think that it could have been very far away. Then he came back alone——"
"But the second man?" queried Mr. St. Clive.
"One moment, sir. He came alone, and he stopped to light another cigar just here. Look, here is the match half-burnt, and the stump of the one he threw away."
"Yes; go on," said Mr. St. Clive, nodding his head. "You have reason for what you say."
"Now, some one followed my father back, and he wore rather small boots with pointed toes——"
"Plenty of gentlemen do that. I wear such boots myself, you see."
"I know, sir. This man was dodging my father, and when he stopped to light his cigar the man stopped too, just over there behind that hedge."
"My dear lad, what makes you say that?"
"The mark of his feet are there, and I think he fired at my father more than once. He fired once and missed, I know, because this tree has got a bullet in the bark, and I am going to have it out! Then he ran forward, and there must have been a fight, and father fell just here. Look, you can surely see where he lay? See the length where the grass is crushed; and see these two marks—a heel and a toe; that means, that some one knelt beside him, and——. Look, look, sir!"
A glimmer of something bright in the long grass caught Ralph's eye, and, stooping, he picked up a watch and chain, and a purse, which had evidently been thrown hastily aside.