"I am sure of that," said Herrick heartily. "But I think you know who did it. Come now, confess!"
"You are mistaken," cried Bess. "All I know is that Frisco is innocent."
"The proof of my own eyes; I saw him at the door of the house when the shots were being fired."
"Three of them. The fourth I did not hear."
"And what were you doing out at that hour?"
Bess paused. "I had better tell you all from the beginning," she said slowly, "then you can judge for yourself. I have told no one as yet. It was too terrible, and--" she hesitated, "I had other reasons for silence. Yet if Frisco had been tried for his life, I should have come forward in spite of all. He is perfectly innocent. I can prove it."
"Strange," muttered Herrick taking a seat. "Well, let us hear."
"I'll attend to him later. He will stay at the inn until I come. That is, if he is really innocent. Of course if he tries to bolt, I shall know he is guilty, and have him arrested. Oh, Joyce knows me, and will act accordingly. Never mind him. Go on with your story."
"It is not much of a story," said Bess. "You know the habit that Sidney has of going to the Pine Wood?"
"To see the fairies? Yes, he told me all about that."
"Well, on the night of the murder, he went away as usual. It came on to rain and Ida was in a great state. She thought he would catch his death of cold--he is so delicate you know. I said I would go and look for him, and about nine o'clock I set out. I knew he would be in the Pine woods. It was raining and I wrapped a long cloak about me. He was not in the wood, although I searched everywhere with a lantern. Then I came out of the wood by mistake right on to the Colonel's lawn. The light was burning in the tower, and the whole of the house was illuminated."
"Just as I saw it," muttered Herrick. "Yes?"
"I crossed the lawn to come home, when I heard three shots fired one after the other in the tower. I heard them plainly. I turned with a start; but the Colonel had done so many queer things that I thought he was only shooting to amuse himself."
"It never struck you that it was murder?"
"No! If the Colonel had not been so eccentric I might have suspected, but nothing ever surprised me in that house. I waited for a moment. There were no more shots. I looked towards the house and there I saw Frisco standing in the doorway. I saw him quite plainly."