As he went by, his lips
opened for the third time. 'Which means - ' he cried, between a
groan and a shriek, 'a bullet for her and - ' I wish I had heard
the rest, but he was out of my hearing before his sentence was
finished."
"What time was this?"
"As near half-past five as possible. It was six when I reached
home a few minutes later."
"Ah, he must have gone to the cemetery after this."
"I am quite sure of it."
"Why didn't you follow the man?" grumbled Durbin.
"It wasn't my business. He was a stranger and possibly mad. I
didn't know what to do."
"What did you do?"
"Went home and kept quiet; my wife was very ill that night and I
had my own cause for anxiety."
"You, however, read the papers next morning?"
"No, sir, nor for many days. My wife grew constantly worse and
for a week I didn't leave her, not knowing but that every breath
would be her last. I was dead to everything outside the sick-room
and when she grew better, which was very gradually, we had to take
her away, so that I had no opportunity of speaking of this
occurrence to any one till a week ago, when some remark, published
in connection with Mrs. Jeffrey's death, recalled that encounter
on the bridge. I told a neighbor that I believed the man I had
seen there was Mr.
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