"Aaron's gone," I said.
"I know. There's nothing to be done here. We'll go and see the old
woman."
I stayed behind with the inspector and Lessing while the other two
went over to the Nevills' cottage, and together we made a thorough
search of the barn and outhouses. There was nothing to be learned.
Filth and disorder reigned everywhere. To describe the condition of
the place, as we found it, would only be to recall the actual
physical sickness that overtook me during the task.
The neighbours had gradually dispersed during our search. By the
time the others rejoined us the place was deserted. The fire had
completely burned itself out; only a tiny smouldering flame pulsed up
here and there, to die down again immediately into blackness.
McWade and the sheriff exchanged a few words, and the latter turned.
"Well, gentlemen, I think there's nothing more to be done," he said.
"I expect Jackson has the car ready by now. We'll walk back to the
house, and if Mr. Lessing has no objection I should like a few words
with him before we go."
We did not meet the car, nor was it in sight when we reached the
bungalow. Mary Lessing was on the porch, and while the others went
indoors I stayed outside to smoke a cigarette in the open air and
watch the road in case Jackson turned up.
"I'm glad it was Menning's house, if it had to be somebody's," said
Mary, with really feminine lucidity. "I wanted to go, but Dick
wouldn't let me. I guess I wouldn't have been much use. Doctor
Haverill, is it ... Aaron they're after?"
"They think he had something to do with that business last spring.
It's Lennox's story. I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet.
Anyway I'll take back all I said against him last night."
She had heard nothing of the accident at the dam, and I told her as
briefly as I could all that had happened since we left the bungalow
last evening. She listened breathlessly.
"So it was Doctor Lennox all the time! Now I know why he didn't want
to meet me that morning. I was sure I knew him, somehow."
"You were smarter than we were," I admitted. "He took us in. Only I
don't see why, now."
"Sliefer's is near to Aaron's place," said Mary, "and if he was
watching Aaron he wouldn't want anyone to know who he was. You think
it was Aaron who attacked Freeman last night?"
"I am nearly sure of it."
Mary shivered. "It's horrible," she said. "It's horrible! I wish
now----"
"What?"
"I wish I'd known," she said quickly. "That poor girl! I shall go
over and see her first thing tomorrow. I know Rebecca quite well.
We get our milk from there."
"Do," I said. "You'll cheer her up a bit." I rose as I spoke and
peered down the road. "It's time that car put in an appearance."
"Your car? Where did you leave it?"
"Just down the hill there. It had a breakdown," I explained. "The
man was going to catch us up."
"I thought I heard a car," she said, "a little while ago. It was
while you were over at the fire. It didn't come past here. Do you
suppose Menning knew what you came for?"
"Lennox thinks he must have suspected it. Anyhow he's far enough
away by this time."
She looked at me, as I thought, a little uneasily.
"You aren't afraid of Menning?" I exclaimed. "Far or near, he'll
take good enough care to keep out of anyone's way just now. Well,
I'll go and see if I can find the car. He may have misunderstood the
directions. You might tell the others if they're looking for me."
As it happened, I had barely gone a dozen paces up the road before I
heard the cheerful approaching throb of a motor, and a moment later
the car, with Jackson in it, swung into sight.
"I was just coming along to look for you," I said as he drew up. "I
thought you'd missed us."
"Thought the spooks had got me!" He grinned appreciatively. "No,
sir! I just pulled up the road a bit--didn't know which way you'd
gone. I guess they weren't huntin' company tonight." He laughed.
"Mighty thick these woods are. I don't know this part of the country
much. Do you get any big animals, round about?"
"Nothing bigger than a badger," I said. "Why?"
"There was something crossed my path, coming up the hill there. It
might have been a dog, now I think of it, but it didn't look like no
dog I've ever seen. Rather high in the hindquarters, and grayish ...
I on'y saw the back of it. It slunk off in the bushes as I come up."
"There aren't any very big dogs that I know," I said, "except Mr.
Lessing's setter, and that's generally chained up at night."
"It weren't no setter," said Jackson. "Weren't the build of a
setter. And it weren't no badger, for I've seen 'em. Low-running,
brownish beasts they are.... Is this the house, sir?"
We drew up outside the bungalow, and I jumped down to join the
others, waiting on the porch.
"It wasn't anything _like_ a dog, now I think of it," said Jackson.