"You are too good—too generous," muttered the surgeon. "Be not deluded by that tragic acting. At all events I must do my duty."
"What do you mean?" cried the rector. "You cannot say that suspicion attaches itself to this young girl. I would stake my existence upon her innocence!" he added emphatically.
"You know not human nature as I know it," returned the surgeon coolly.
At this moment the groom returned, followed by a police-officer.
"A person has met with her death in a most mysterious manner," said the surgeon; "and strong suspicions point towards that young female."
Then followed one of those heart-rending scenes which defy the powers of the most graphic pen to delineate.
Amidst the wildest screams—and with cries of despair which pierced even to the stoic heart of the surgeon, who had acted in a manner which he had deemed merely consistent with his duty, the unhappy girl was led away in the custody of the officer.
"My God! who would have thought that it would have come to this?" exclaimed Reginald Tracy, as he precipitated himself from the kitchen.
"The surgeon is right," observed Thomas to the groom; "master is too good a man to believe in guilt of so black a nature."