"Oh, my dear Pendleton, how shall I ever repay you?"
"By keeping up a stout heart until this storm-cloud blows over, as it
must, in a few days or weeks. But now to business. How came this man Joe
here?"
Mr. Berners explained how Joe had overheard all their conversation while
they were making their arrangements, and taken pains to co-operate with
them, and had followed them here with some necessary provisions. And he,
Mr. Berners, closed with a eulogy on Joe's fidelity and discretion.
"I am very glad to hear what you tell me, for it relieves my mind of a
very great weight. I knew that there had been a listener to our
conversation, for I almost ran against him as I went into the house; but
as he made his escape before I could identify him, I was very anxious on
the subject. So you may judge what a burden is lifted from my mind by
the discovery that he was no other than honest Joe, whom Providence sent
in the way. But why he ran from me, I cannot imagine.
"He was a little jealous, a little sulky, and somewhat fearful of being
blamed, I suppose. But tell me, Pendleton, has our flight been
discovered yet?" inquired Mr. Berners, anxiously.
"No, nor even suspected; at least, not up to the time that I left Black
Hall. Mrs. Berners was supposed to be in her chamber. I warned all the
men, and requested my sister to caution all the women, against knocking
at her door."
"And I, who must have been expected to be on the spot?" asked Lyon.
"You were often asked for. Fortunately for you, there is a well-known
weakness in human nature to pretend to know all about everything that
may be inquired into. And so, every time you chanced to be inquired for
by one party, you were accounted for by another. Some said you were with
Mrs. Berners; others that you had gone to Blackville on pressing
business connected with the tragedy. And these last authorities came to
be believed; so that when I slipped away I left the people momentarily
expecting your return."
"Whom did you leave there?"
"Everybody--the coroner's jury and all the guests of the house, who had
been detained as witnesses."
"Then all our friends heard the fatal verdict?"
"All."
"Was there--a warrant issued?" gasped Lyon Berners, scarcely able to
utter the words.
"Ah, yes; the issue of the warrant was the first intimation I had of the
fatal nature of the verdict. It was put in the hands of an officer, with
orders to be on the watch and serve it as soon as Mrs. Berners should
come out of her chamber, but not to knock at the door, or molest her
while she remained in it."