"
Mahaffy was clearly not impressed by the vague generalities in
which the judge was dealing.
"There you go, Price, as usual, trying to convince yourself that
you are the center of everything!" he said, in a tone of much
exasperation. "Let's get down to business! What does this man
Hicks mean by hinting at suicide? You saw Miss Malroy
yesterday?"
"You have put your finger on a point of some significance," said
the judge. "She bore evidence of the shock and loss she had
sustained; aside from that she was quite as she has always been."
"Well, what do you want to see Hicks for? What do you expect to
learn from him?"
"I don't like his insistence on the idea that Miss Malroy is
mentally unbalanced. It's a question of some delicacy--the law,
sir, fully recognizes that. It seems to me he is overanxious to
account for her disappearance in a manner that can compromise no
one."
Here they were interrupted by the opening of the door, and big
Steve admitted Carrington and the two men of whom the sheriff had
spoken.
"A shocking condition of affairs, Mr. Carrington!" said the judge
by way of greeting.
"Yes," said Carrington shortly.
"You left these parts some time ago, I believe?" continued the
judge.
"The day before Norton was shot. I had started home for
Kentucky. I heard of his death when I reached Randolph on the
second bluff," explained Carrington, from whose cheeks the
weather-beaten bloom had faded. He rested his hand on the edge
of the desk and turned to the men who had followed him into the
room.
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