“Yes, ma’am. We’d got down nearly to the ford, when the mare—master’s mare, ma’am—shied at something, and nearly threw me.”
“The mare shied?” said Leo, with her eyes dilating.
“Yes, ma’am; and I saw it was at master lying there by the side of the road.”
“Dead?”
“No, ma’am, but very bad. His head was—”
“Hush!” said Salis, interrupting sternly. “No particulars, my man; only answer me this—was it a fall?”
“Oh, no, sir! some one had been beating him about the head with a stick, I should say.”
“Had he been robbed?”
“Oh, no, sir! His watch and chain and pin were all right.”
“Was he insensible?” continued Salis.