"How was it you did not see them again?" asked Paul curiously.
"Because they did not return to where I was; stopped to talk at the stile, no doubt. I waited for ten minutes, and then I heard a man singing and shouting. He came from the town, and could not get over the stile into the lane. I heard him saying something about killing Lovel, and I noted that he held a pistol. At once I went up to him, and found--as I expected from his condition--that it was Dr. Lester."
"Quite drunk?"
"Senselessly drunk, but able to stumble along. I thought that if he met Lucas in the company of his daughter he might fire at him, so I dismissed all idea of seeing the young people again and devoted myself to getting rid of Dr. Lester. I took the pistol off him, and being quite incapable of resistance, he gave it up readily enough. Then I wheeled him round, and taking his arm, I led him home."
"What!" cried Paul, starting up, "did you take him back to his house?"
"I attempted to," said Miss Clyde; "but he turned restive, and wanted to go back to the lane. I then coaxed him out into the country, on the road to my own house. But I only got him a very little way when he suddenly became too drunk to stand, so I dragged him into some bushes beside the road, and as it was a fine night, I left him there to recover his senses. I suppose he stayed there till dawn, and then made his way home."
"What did you do?"
"I put the revolver into my pocket and walked home. The next morning I heard of the murder, and of Dr. Lester's arrest."
"Did you hear the shot?"
"No; I suppose I was too far on my road homeward to hear it, or else I was not paying attention. At all events, I heard nothing."