Page:The Knife.pdf/8

122 the carrier, who expected every minute to be murdered too. Yet, Harriet would not leave till the shutters were barred and the door locked: the large key hung as usual behind it, and that she took with her. "No one can now get either in or out." They drove with all possible speed to Mr. March’s, where they had instant admission. John Dodd had not yet recovered his senses; but his companion’s account was equally brief and clear. A messenger was forthwith despatched to the coroner, then at Newcastle, where the assizes were holding, about five miles distant: and Mr. March proceeded to the cottage, of which Harriet Lynn gave him the key. Being on horseback, he, and two neighbours who accompanied him, arrived at the place long before their train of curious and horrorstricken followers. They found every thing as had been described. The body was in a frightful state; the hands and arms of the poor old creature were covered with gashes; and a violent blow on the temple had probably occasioned her fall and stunned her, for the throat was cut with a degree of neatness and precision, which shewed that then at least the victim could not have struggled. Close to the corpse was found a small tortoise-shell penknife clotted with blood, evidently the instrument by which the wound had been inflicted. Neighbours now came hurrying in, and one after another missed some trifling article of property which the deceased was known to have possessed. There were three