Still Ben did not speak. It was Burton who answered for him.
"Mrs. Bussey kept him informed of the gossip of the town. If you will recall the several instances, I think you will find there was no single case where her prying and spying and his activity will not sufficiently supply the answer."
"But the Hadley case! There were so many things that pointed to Henry,--the cord he had bought,--"
"And which of course Mrs. Bussey could get hold of. It was well thought out."
"And Selby's watch-chain! Did you rob Selby, Ben?"
"Whether he robbed Selby or not, he certainly concealed his watch-chain and the other things in the surgery," said Burton.
"And did you tamper with my medicines, Ben?" a grave voice asked from the door,--a voice full of infinite sadness and pity. Dr. Underwood had entered from the unlit hall and now stood fronting Ben with searching eyes. "Did you touch the bottle I had prepared for old man Means?"
If those in the room were startled by the doctor's unexpected appearance, they were still less prepared for the effect on Ben. The determined silence which had been proof against Burton's taunts was dropped. His eyes glittered with excitement.
"You thought I didn't know where the strychnine was," he said, with an air of careless triumph. "I tried it on old Means just for a joke. It was a good thing to know where it was, because sometime, when I was tired of playing with you, I meant to kill you,--all,--all,--all! You thought Ben was lying there like a log,--tied up--and you didn't know that he could get out when you were asleep and tie things up in a hard, tight knot,--like string,--tie you all up till you couldn't get free!--not kill you at first,--have fun with you first,--" His voice sank into a monotonous monotone, and all at once he seemed to have forgotten his audience. He lifted his hands and looked curiously at the handcuffs that fastened his wrists.
"He's put my hands to sleep," he said, with a childish laugh. Then his laugh turned into a snarl, malevolent and sinister.