"I was then. I had gone to look for Sidney. But you see Frisco--"
"It was Frisco," said Stephen vehemently. "I tell you Carr was dead when I went up, lying face downward. If Frisco was at the door, he was just clearing out after killing the man. He knew that he would be arrested."
"But he must have heard the shots?"
"Then he knew that someone had discovered the body which would make him run for it all the more quickly. However to make a long story short I fired the three shots you know of, and then returned to my mother at the rectory. I said nothing about the matter, as I had not killed Carr. If Frisco is not the murderer I do not know who is. That is all I can tell you Bess, you see I am not such a guilty wretch as you thought."
"I know that," said Bess impetuously, "If you were I should insist upon your leaving Ida. To fire at the dead was savage, but, as I know the man must have been dead at the time--the medical evidence proves that, I will say nothing. Why did you not tell me of this before?"
"What use would it have been?" said Stephen raising his eyebrows, "I cannot tell you anything likely to lead to the capture of the assassin, and beside it is not a pleasant thing to tell about myself. I should not have told you now, but that you have been one too many for me. I should have re-loaded the three chambers of that revolver. But I forgot and put it away thinking all six were loaded. I should be ashamed to let Jim or Ida know that I had been such a beast."
"I shall say nothing to them," said Bess coldly, "but I am disappointed in you Stephen."
"I know," said the young man humbly, "I should have had more self-control. But you will not turn your back on me for this Bess?"
"No. All the same I can't feel as I did towards you. Let me go away and think Stephen. And--put away that revolver."
Marsh-Carr nodded, and slipped the weapon into his pocket. But he made no attempt to detain Bess. She went away with a sore heart.