O.'s brother. If I were the missing gentleman's
friends I should want to know a lot! I should want to know precisely what
he meant when he said to Dan'l Ewbank as how he'd known a man called
Marston Greyle in America. 'Taint a common name, that, guv'nor."
Copplestone made no answer to these observations. His own train of
thought was somewhat similar to his host's. And presently he turned to a
different track.
"You saw no one else about there that afternoon?" he asked.
"No one, guv'nor," replied Spurge.
"And where did you go when you left the place?" inquired Copplestone.
"To tell you the truth, guv'nor, I was waiting there for that cousin o'
mine--him as carried you the letter," answered Spurge. "It was a fixture
between us--he was to meet me there about three o'clock that day. If he
wasn't there, or in sight, by a quarter-past three I was to know he
wasn't able to get away. So as he didn't come, I slipped back into the
woods, and made my way back here, round by the moors."
"Are you going to stay in this place?" asked Copplestone.
"For a bit, guv'nor--till I see how things are," replied Spurge. "As I
say, I'm wanted for poaching, and Chatfield's been watching to get his
knife into me this long while. All the same, if more serious things drew
his attention off, he might let it slide. What do you ask for, guv'nor?"
"I wanted to know where you could be found in case you were required to
give evidence about seeing Mr.
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