"Take a seat there, Ericson, my lad," said Mr. Duke, indicating a
chair opposite to him in the middle of the floor.
And then he turned to the dominie, speaking with him in an
undertone.
These five men, who were all in different degrees known to me,
presented no very formal aspect, and I felt no dread of what was to
follow. As I sat there awaiting the opening of the proceedings I
looked straight before me at the long table. Here, lying in front
of the two bailies, were my fowling piece and a coil of rope.
Before Mr. Drever lay Jarl Haffling's talisman; also, to my
surprise, I observed the wooden box that I had seen in the cave,
and the little chest that I had taken from the chart room of the
Pilgrim; on the lid of the latter was the log book of that
ill-fated ship.
What these relics of the Pilgrim could possibly have to do with the
murder of Colin Lothian I was at a loss to know. But their
importance in the issue of the case will presently be seen.
"Halcro Ericson!" said Bailie Duke.
I rose to my feet and faced him. He tapped his snuffbox and took a
large pinch, and leisurely passed the box to the dominie.
Presently, after much use of his bandanna handkerchief, he
continued:
"Halcro Ericson, you were arrested on Saturday last on suspicion of
being the murderer of Colin Lothian--a poor, worthy man, known and
respected in the Mainland for many, many years.
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