"Well, what of it?" said Burton impatiently, though he had wondered himself what had become of Henry. "It seems to me that the name of Underwood sets you all off. If Henry Underwood chose to go home when he found his assistance was not needed, that surely is not in itself a suspicious circumstance. He probably knew his presence, if noticed, would be made the subject of vilification in some way."
Selby sneered, but he exercised the unusual self-control of saying nothing. But the man who had picked up the note on the mantel had been examining the cord with which Hadley had been bound and which Burton had cut. He now stood up and faced the little company with a seriousness of aspect that was more impressive than any voluble excitement could have been.
"I sold Henry Underwood that cord, yesterday," he said. His tone and look made it seem like an affidavit.
"You are sure of it, Mr. Proctor?" asked Ralston.
"Quite sure. It is a peculiar cord. I got it in a general invoice about two years ago, and it has been lying in a drawer in the store ever since,--there has never been any call for anything of that sort. Yesterday Henry Underwood was in and asked for some light rope that would be strong enough to bear a man's weight, and I remembered this ball and brought it out. I have never seen another piece of cord like it. It isn't likely that there is another piece in town of that same unusual make."
The men pressed about the bed to examine the cut cord,--all except Selby, who crossed the room to where Miss Hadley had sunk into a chair. She still had a dazed look, and though Selby talked to her for some time in an earnest undertone, Burton could not see that she made any response. Selby caught Burton's eye upon them and scowled, but went on with his murmured speech.
"If you will make the charge against Henry Underwood, I will take him into custody," at last said the police officer who was in the room.
"Oh, Lord, what will happen to me if I do?" gasped Hadley.
"Well, if he is in jail, I guess nothing more will happen to you," said the officer dryly.
"But Dr. Underwood--"