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I took another step backward as I said this, and he took a step toward me at the same time A flicker of panic must have crossed my face, for he looked amused, and took another step

"Oh, I doubt that, Mrs Fraser dear For see, the man’s dead by now"

I squeezed Jeled squawk

"What do youfro in an icy ball round ain," he said, the look of aht say My friend Lillywhite and the good Sheriff were to attend to Mr Fraser and Mr MacKenzie, and Lieutenant Wolff was to e Mrs Cameron’s end of the business That left me with the pleasant task of makin’ myself reacquainted withon Je about," I said, through stiff lips, taking a better grip on Jeh at that

"Sure, and ye’re no hand at lyin’, ive the observation Ye’d never h what I h I confess as how I should be obliged to hear exactly what you and Mr Fraser was engaged in, a-butchering that Negro woman that Wolff killed I did hear as how the picture of a murderer shows in the victi at her eyes, fro?"

"Wolff--it was him, then?" Just at the moment, I didn’t really care whether Lieutenant Wolff had e in any line of conversation that offered the possibility of distracting hiler, Wolff," he said, dispassionately "But ’twas hiin with, so he clais"

How far aere Marsali and Brianna? Had Ger over the whine of insects and the distant wash of surf Surely theyold? There isn’t any gold at River Run; Jocasta Caenial disbelief

"I will say as Mrs Cameron is a better liar than yourself, dear one, but sure, I didn’t believe her, either The doctor saw the gold, see"

"What doctor?" A baby’s high-pitched cry ca to drown it out, and repeated, more loudly, "What doctor do you s" Bonnet was frowning slightly, head turned toward the sound "I’d not the pleasure of his acquaintance, though; I ht be mistaken"

"I’ about" I was trying siround nearby for anything that ht be used as a weapon Bonnet had a pistol in his belt, and a knife, but showed no disposition to draw either one Why should he? A woman with an armload of two-year-old was not any sort of threat

One thick blond brow flicked up, but he seereat hurry, whatever he was about

"No? Well, ’twas Wolff, as I was sayin’ It was a tooth to be drawn or soht the fellow a drink in reward, and spent the evening inside a wine-skin with him, in the end Ye’ll know the Lieutenant’s weakness for the drink--the doctor was another sot, I hear, and the two of thes let out that he’d seen a great quantity of gold at River Run, for he’d just cos had either passed out or sobered up enough to say no h to renew the Lieutenant’s deterain the hand--and property--of Jocasta Cah, and then she ups and declares as she’ll be takin’ the one-armed fella instead ’Twas a cruel blow to the Lieutenant’s pride, alas" He grinned at that, showing amolar on one side

Lieutenant Wolff, furious and baffled, appealed to his particular friend, Randall Lillywhite, for advice

"Why, that--so that’s why he arrested the priest at the Gathering? To prevent hi Mrs Cameron to Duncan Innes?"

Bonnet nodded

"That would be the way of it A ht say, so as to be havin’ the opportunity of lookin’ further into theAs we had theorized, so Duncan Innes with a cup of punch spiked with laudanum The plan had been to render hi the uproar occasioned by Duncan’s disappearance and presumedly accidental death, Wolff would have the chance to search the preold--and eventually, to renew his addresses to Jocasta

"But the black bitch drank the stuff herself," he said dispassionately "Didn’t die of it, worse luck--but she could have said who gave the cup to her, of course, and so Wolff slipped round and ruel they were after feedin’ her"

"What I want to know," I said, "is just how you got involved in this Why were you there at River Run?"

"And isn’t the Lieutenant the friend of my bosom theseof the one-armed lad, so as he could take care to be seen in the midst of the party, enjoyin’ himself in all innocence whilst accident was befallin’ his rival" He frowned slightly, tapping a finger on the hilt of his pistol