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AT THE TIDAL TRAIN.269Dallas passed me in the lane. Ilooked up prettysmart, and, sir,it were a man.""Mr. Routh?" asked the lawyer." Yes, sir, it were Mr. Routh. His headwere down, and he was goin' as quick as anyman could walk, short of running, but he didnot run.Iroused up, and wondered where theother gent was, and thenIsee a narrow passagea little way off the doorway whereIwas asettin', leadin' straight to the river. Ithoughtthey must ha' turned down there to have theirtalk out, whenImissed them so sudden.Iwentdown the passage, and at the end of it wasstones and mud and the river; and there wasno one there. But 0, sir," — and here Jimbegan to tremble and to look nervously roundtowards Mr. Felton, — " there wrere blood on theedge ofthe stones, and footsteps in the mudwhere the water yvas a-creepin' up, andyvas no one there."thereA convulsive sob burst from Clare's lips; butMr. Felton clasped her closer to him, and kepther quiet."A dreadful sight — a dreadful discovery,"