"Was she already dead?"
"Well, sir, when you first get a person out of the water it's hard to say whether they be dead or not. She seemed dead, but perhaps if there had been means right at hand, she might have been brought-to again."
A moan of pain from old Matthew. Mr. Verner continued as it died out—
"Rachel Frost's voice must have been one of those you heard in dispute?"
"Not a doubt of that, sir," replied young Broom. "Any more than that there must have been foul play at work to get her into the pond, or that the other disputing voice must have belonged to the man who did it."
"Softly, softly," said Mr. Verner. "Did you see any man about?"
"I saw nobody at all, sir, saving Dan Duff and Mrs. Roy; and Rachel's quarrel could not have been with either of them. Whoever the other was, he had made himself scarce."
Robin Frost took a step forward respectfully.
"Did you mind, sir, that Mother Duffs Dan spoke to seeing some person in the lane?"
"I do," replied Mr. Verner. "I should like to ask the boy another question or two upon that point. Call him in, one of you."