How could it have happened? The body presented the usual
appearance of death from drowning; but close to the left temple was a
wound, and the face was otherwise disfigured. It must have been done,
they thought, by coming into contact with something or other in the
water; perhaps the skiff itself. Arm and ankle were both much swollen.
Nothing was certainly known as yet of Lord Hartledon from the time Mr.
Carteret parted company with him, to the time when the body was found. It
appeared that these Irish labourers were going home from their work,
singing as they went, their road lying past the mill, when they were
spoken to by the miller's boy. He stood on the species of estrade which
the miller had placed there for his own convenience, bending down as far
as his young head and shoulders could reach, and peering into the water
attentively. "I think I see some'at in the stream," quoth he, and the men
stopped; and after a short time, proceeded to search. It proved to be the
dead body of Lord Hartledon, caught amongst the reeds.
It was rather a curious coincidence that Percival Elster and his servants
in the last search should have heard the voices of the labourers singing
in the distance. But they were too far off on their return to Hartledon
to be within hearing when the men found the body.
The news spread; people came up from far and near, and Hartledon was
besieged.
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