I thought it might have been gossip," he muttered, as he pushed the soft dark hair from the temple.

"Any more suspicious marks ?" he resumed, taking a rapid view of the hands and head.

"No; nothing but what he'd be likely to get in the water: but--I'll swear _that_ might have been the blow of a human hand.

'Twould stun, if it wouldn't kill; and then, held under the water--" At this moment Mr.Pike and his comments were interrupted, and he drew back from the table on which the body was lying; but not before Lord Hartledon had seen him touching the face of the dead.
"What are you doing ?" came the stern demand.
"I wasn't harming him," was the answer; and Mr.Pike seemed to have suddenly returned to his roughness.

"It's a nasty accident to have happened; and I don't like _this_." He pointed to the temple as he spoke.