As Jabez Gum passed through his own gate he looked towards Mr. Pike's dwelling; it was only natural he should do so after the recent conversation; and he saw that worthy gentleman come stealing across the waste ground, with his usual cautious step. Although not given to exchanging courtesies with his neighbour, the clerk walked briskly towards him now, and waited at the hurdles which divided the waste ground from the road.
"I hear you were prowling about the mill when Lord Hartledon met with his accident," began the clerk, in low, condemning tones.
"And what if I was," asked Pike, leaning his arms on the hurdles and facing the clerk. "Near the mill I wasn't; about the woods and river I was; and I saw him pass down in the sculling boat with his disabled arm. What of it, I ask?"
Pike's tone, though short, was civil enough. The forced appearance before the coroner and public had disturbed his equanimity in no slight degree, and taken for the present all insolence out of him.
"Should any doubt get afloat that his lordship's death might not have been accidental, your presence at the spot would tell against you."
"No, it wouldn't. I left the spot before the accident could have happened; and I came back to Calne with a witness. As to the death having been something worse than accident, not a soul in the place has dreamt of such a thing except me."
"Except you! What do you mean?"
Pike leaned more over the hurdles, so as to bring his disreputable face closer to Mr. Gum, who slightly recoiled as he caught the low whisper.
"I don't think the death was accidental. I believe his lordship was just put out of the way quietly."
"Heaven forbid!" exclaimed the shocked clerk. "By whom? By you?" he added, in his bewilderment.