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〃There was another friend of yours present that evening； Afy。 Lieutenant Thorn。〃
Afy's face turned crimson； she was evidently surprised。 But Mr。 Carlyle's speech and manner were authoritative； and she saw it would be useless to attempt to trifle with him。
〃I know he was； sir。 A young chap who used to ride over some evenings to see me。 He had nothing to do with what occurred。〃
〃Where did he ride from？〃
〃He was stopping with some friends at Swainson。 He was nobody； sir。〃
〃What was his name？〃 questioned Mr。 Carlyle。
〃Thorn；〃 said Afy。
〃I mean his real name。 Thorn was an assumed name。〃
〃Oh； dear no；〃 returned Afy。 〃Thorn was his name。〃
Mr。 Carlyle paused and looked at her。
〃Afy； I have reason to believe that Thorn was only an assumed name。 Now； I have a motive for wishing to know his real one； and you would very much oblige me by confiding it to me。 What was it？〃
〃I don't know that he had any other name； sir； I am sure he had no other；〃 persisted Afy。 〃He was Lieutenant Thorn； then and he was Captain Thorn； afterward。〃
〃You have seen him since？〃
〃Once in a way we have met。〃
〃Where is he now？〃
〃Now！ Oh； my goodness； I don't know anything about him now；〃 muttered Afy。 〃I have not heard of him or seen him for a long while。 I think I heard something about his going to India with his regiment。〃
〃What regiment is he in？〃
〃I'm sure I don't know about that；〃 said Afy。 〃Is not one regiment the same as another； they are all in the army； aren't they； sir？〃
〃Afy； I must find this Captain Thorn。 Do you know anything of his family？〃
Afy shook her head。 〃I don't think he had any。 I never heard him mention as much as a brother or a sister。〃
〃And you persist in saying his name was Thorn？〃
〃I persist in saying it because it was his name。 I am positive it was his name。〃
〃Afy； shall I tell you why I want to find him； I believe it was he who murdered your father； not Richard Hare。〃
Afy's mouth and eyes gradually opened； and her face turned hot and cold alternately。 Then passion mastered her； and she burst forth。
〃It's a lie！ I beg your pardon； sir； but whoever told you that； told you a lie。 Thorn had no more to do with it than I had； I'll swear it。〃
〃I tell you； Afy； I believe Thorn to have been the man。 You were not present； you cannot know who actually did it。〃
〃Yes； I can； and do know；〃 said Afy； bursting into sobs of hysterical passion。 〃Thorn was with me when it happened； so it could not have been Thorn。 It was that wicked Richard Hare。 Sir； have I not said that I'll swear it？〃
〃Thorn was with youat the moment of the murder？〃 repeated Mr。 Carlyle。
〃Yes； he was；〃 shrieked Afy； nearly beside herself with emotion。 〃Whoever has been trying to put it off Richard Hare； and on to him； is a wicked； false…hearted wretch。 It was Richard Hare； and nobody else； and I hope he'll be hung for it yet。〃
〃You are telling me the truth； Afy？〃 gravely spoke Mr。 Carlyle。
〃Truth！〃 echoed Afy； flinging up her hands。 〃Would I tell a lie over my father's death？ If Thorn had done it； would I screen him； or shuffle it off to Richard Hare？ Not so。〃
Mr。 Carlyle felt uncertain and bewildered。 That Afy was sincere in what she said； was but too apparent。 He spoke again but Afy had risen from her chair to leave。
〃Locksley was in the wood that evening。 Otway Bethel was in it。 Could either of them have been the culprit？〃
〃No； sir；〃 firmly retorted Afy； 〃the culprit was Richard Hare； and I'd say it with my latest breathI'd say it because I know itthough I don't choose to say how I know it； time enough when he gets taken。〃
She quitted the room； leaving Mr。 Carlyle in a state of puzzled bewilderment。 Was he to believe Afy； or was he to believe the bygone assertion of Richard Hare？
CHAPTER XXIX。
A NIGHT INVASION OF EAST LYNNE。
In one of the comfortable sitting…rooms of East Lynne sat Mr。 Carlyle and his sister； one inclement January night。 The contrast within and without was great。 The warm； blazing fire； the handsome carpet on which it flickered； the exceedingly comfortable arrangement of the furniture； of the room altogether； and the light of the chandelier； which fell on all； presented a picture of home peace； though it may not have deserved the name of luxury。 Without； heavy flakes of snow were falling thickly； flakes as large and nearly as heavy as a crown piece； rendering the atmosphere so dense and obscure that a man could not see a yard before him。 Mr。 Carlyle had driven home in the pony carriage； and the snow had so settled upon him that Lucy； who happened to see him as he entered the hall； screamed out laughingly that her papa had turned into a white man。 It was now later in the evening； the children were in bed； the governess was in her own sitting roomit was not often that Miss Carlyle invited her to theirs of an evening and the house was quite。 Mr。 Carlyle was deep in the pages of one of the monthly periodicals； and Miss Carlyle sat on the other side of the fire； grumbling； and grunting； and sniffling； and choking。
Miss Carlyle was one of your strong…minded ladies； who never condescended to be ill。 Of course； had she been attacked with scarlet fever； or paralysis； or St。 Vitus' dance； she must have given in to the enemy； but trifling ailments； such as headache； influenza； sore throat； which other people get； passed her by。 Imagine； therefore； her exasperation at finding her head stuffed up； her chest sore； and her voice going； in short； at having； for once in her life； caught a cold like ordinary mortals。
〃What's the time； I wonder？〃 she exclaimed。
Mr。 Carlyle looked at his watch。 〃It is just nine； Cornelia。〃
〃Then I think I shall go to bed。 I'll have a basin of arrowroot or gruel； or some slop of that sort； after I'm in it。 I'm sure I have been free enough all my life from requiring such sick dishes。〃
〃Do so；〃 said Mr。 Carlyle。 〃It may do you good。〃
〃There's one thing excellent for a cold in the head； I know。 It's to doubt your flannel petticoat crossways； or any other large piece of flannel you may conveniently have at hand； and put it on over your night…cap。 I'll try it。〃
〃I would；〃 said Mr。 Carlyle； smothering an irreverent laugh。
She sat on five minutes longer； and then left； wishing Mr。 Carlyle good…night。 He resumed his reading； but another page or two concluded the article； upon which Mr。 Carlyle threw the book on the table； rose and stretched himself； as if tired of sitting。
He stirred the fire into a brighter blaze； and stood on the hearthrug。 〃I wonder if it snows still？〃 he exclaimed to himself。
Proceeding to the window； one of those opening to the ground； he threw aside the half of the warm crimson curtain。 It all looked dull and dark outside。 Mr。 Carlyle could see little what the weather was； and he opened the window and stepped half out。
The snow was falling faster and thicker than ever。 Not at that did Mr。 Carlyle start with surprise； if not with a more unpleasant sensation； but a feeling a man's hand touch his； and at finding a man's face nearly in contact with his own。
〃Let me come in； Mr。 Carlyle； for the love of life！ I see you are alone。 I'm dead beat； and I don't know but I'm dodged also。〃
The tones struck familiarly on Mr。 Carlyle's ear。 He drew back mechanically； a thousand perplexing sensations overwhelming him； and the man followed him into the rooma white man； as Lucy called her father。 Aye； for he had been hours and hours on foot in the snow； his hat； his clothes； his eyebrows； his large whiskers； all were white。 〃Lock the door； sir；〃 were his first words。 Need you be told that it was Richard Hare？
Mr。 Carlyle fastened the window； drew the heavy curtains across； and turned rapidly to lock the two doorsfor there were two to the room； one of them leading into the adjoining one。 Richard meanwhile took off his wet smock…frock of former memoryhis hat； and his false black whiskers； wiping the snow from the latter with his hand。
〃Richard；〃 uttered Mr。 Carlyle； 〃I am thunderstruck！ I fear you have done wrong to come here。〃
〃I cut off from London at a moment's notice；〃 replied Richard； who was literally shivering with the cold。 〃I'm dodged； Mr。 Carlyle； I am indeed。 The police are after me； set on by that wretch Thorn。〃
Mr。 Carlyle turned to the sideboard and poured out a wineglass of brandy。 〃Drink it； Richard； it will warm you。〃
〃I'd rather have it in some hot water； sir。〃
〃But how am I to get the hot water brought in？ Drink this for now。 Why； how you tremble。〃
〃Ah； a few hours outside in the cold snow is enough to make the strongest man tremble； sir； and it lies so deep in places that you have to come along at a snail's pace。 But I'll tell you about this business。 A fortnight ago I was at a cabstand at the West End； talking to a cab…driver； when some drops of rain came down。 A gentleman and lady were passing at the time； but I had not paid any attention to them。 〃By Jove！〃 I heard him exclaim to her； 'I think we're going to have pepper。 We had better take a cab； my dear。' With that the man I was talking to swung open the door of his cab； and she got insuch a fair young lady； she was！ I turned to look at him； and you might just have knocked me down with astonishment。 Mr。 Carlyle； it was the