‘Stand back,’ he said to Barbara, who was coming up, ‘stand back, I pray you!’
But there was no need for her to stand back: she had seen what he would have hidden from her. In the darkness and loneliness, unobserved, Mr. Jordan had torn away his bandages, and his blood had deluged the turf. It had ceased to flow now—for he was dead.
[CHAPTER LIV.]
ANOTHER LOAD.
The sad procession moved to Morwell out of the wood, preceded by the man Westlake, mounted on Jasper’s horse, riding hard for the doctor. Then came a stable-boy with the lantern, and after the light two gates—first, that on which was laid the dead body of Mr. Jordan; then another, followed closely by Barbara, on which lay Eve breathing, but now not even moaning. As the procession was half through the first field the bell of the house tolled. Westlake had communicated the news to the servant-maids, and one of them at once went to the bell.
Lagging behind all came Joseph Woodman, the policeman. The King of France in the ballad marched up a hill, and then marched down again, having accomplished nothing. Joseph had reversed the process: he had leisurely marched down the hill, and then more leisurely marched up it again; but the result was the same as that attained by the King of France.
On reaching Morwell Jasper said in a low voice to the men, ‘You must return with me: there is another to be sought for. Who saw the boy with the lantern last? He may have found him by this time.’
Then Joseph said slowly, ‘As I was down by the boathouse I saw something.’
‘What did you see?’