Three or four hours later, I went to the cottage again, and I managed to get a minute's speech with Afy.

I never shall forget it; before I could say one syllable she flew out at me, accusing me of being the murderer of her father, and she fell into hysterics out there on the grass.

The noise brought people from the house--plenty were in it then--and I retreated.

'If _she_ can think me guilty, the world will think me guilty,' was my argument; and that night I went right off, to stop in hiding for a day or two, till I saw my way clear.

It never came clear; the coroner's inquest sat, and the verdict floored me over.