“You are upon your oath, witness!” thundered Mr. Justice Hare. “If it was my—if it was Richard Hare who was with you, say so. But there must be no equivocation here.”
Afy was startled. “It was Thorn,” she answered to Mr. Ball.
“And where was Richard Hare?”
“I don’t know. He came down, but I sent him away; I would not admit him. I dare say he lingered in the wood.”
“Did he leave a gun with you?”
“Yes. It was one he had promised to lend my father. I put it down just inside the door. He told me it was loaded.”
“How long after this was it, that your father interrupted you?”
“He didn’t interrupt us at all,” returned Afy. “I never saw my father until I saw him dead.”
“Were you not in the cottage all the time?”
“No; we went out for a stroll at the back. Captain Thorn wished me good-bye there, and I stayed out.”