Each one mentioned that he had been elsewhere at the time, and where he had been.
"You see," said Mr.Verner, "the lane leads only to Verner's Pride." "But by leaping a fence anywhere, or a gate, or breaking through a hedge, it may lead all over the country," observed Frederick Massingbird.

"You forget that, sir." "No, Frederick, I do not forget it.

But unless a man had business at Verner's Pride, what should he go into the lane for?
On emerging from the field on this side the Willow Pond, any one, not bound for Verner's Pride, would take the common path to the right hand, open to all; only in case of wanting to come here would he take the lane.

You cannot suppose for a moment that I suspect any one of you has had a hand in this unhappy event; but it was right that I should be assured, from your own lips, that you were not the person spoken of by young Duff." "It may have been a stranger to the neighbourhood, sir.

In that case he would not know that the lane led only to Verner's Pride." "True--so far.