“No sounds were heard during the night?”
“No, Sah.”
“I'll see the overseer—what's his name?—Hicks? Suppose you go for him!” said the judge, addressing the sheriff.
The sheriff was gone from the room only a few moments, and returned with the information that Hicks was down at the bayou, which was to be dragged.
“Why?” inquired the judge.
“Hicks says Miss Malroy's been acting mighty queer ever since Charley Norton was shot—distracted like! He says he noticed it, and that Tom Ware noticed it.”
“How does he explain the boy's disappearance?”
“He reckons she throwed herself in, and the boy tried to drag her out, like he naturally would, and got drawed in.”
“Humph! I'll trouble Mr. Hicks to step here,” said the judge quietly.
“There's Mr. Carrington and a couple of strangers outside who've been asking about Miss Malroy and the boy, seems like the strangers knowed her and him back yonder in No'th Carolina,” said the sheriff as he turned away.