The four men sat in silence for some time.
"I suppose it would be useless to ask who has been coming and going
from the rectory the last few days?" began the Count.
"Oh, yes, indeed, sir," said the district judge with a sigh. "For
if this murderer is the same who committed the other crimes he must
live here in or near the village, and therefore must be known to
all and not likely to excite suspicion."
"I beg your pardon, sir," put in the doctor. "There must be at
least two of them. One man alone could not have carried off the
farm hand who was killed to the swamp where his body was found.
Nor could one man alone have taken away the bloody body of the
pastor. Our venerable friend was a man of size and weight, as
you know, and one man alone could not have dragged his body from
he room without leaving an easily seen trail."
The judge blushed, but he nodded in affirmation to the doctor's
words. This thought had not occurred to him before. In fact, the
judge was more notable for his good will and his love of justice
rather than for his keen intelligence. He was as well aware of
this as was any one else, and he was heartily glad that the Count
had sent to the capital for reinforcements.
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