Old Murch had been last seen alive on! the previous evening at eight o'clock or so. A customer — Josiah Stacy, ostler at' the Barley Mow — had made some small purchase at the shop about that time, and, j peering through the pane of glass, had 1 perceived the old man in his usual position beside the fire. As Stacy left the shop, the sergeant entered.it.' Shortly after- 'i wards the shop was' closed for the night. ■ The sergeant had been seen by several^ persons assisting Kezia to close tho out-j side shutters. He had been in tho habit, I it appeared, of so assisting her. , On the following morning, greatly to. the surprise of the community, the shop was not opened. Intending customers' had vainly cried through the keyhole, and' thumped upon the door and shutters. There Was. no response. Towards noon, news was brought that Kezia and the, sergeant, carrying certain bundles and packages, had been seen by one of Squire) Hillingfion's shepherds, very early in the' morning, miles away from Midgeford,; making their way, as it seemed, to the; railway : station at Bassett Bridge. At! one o'clock, Waters, the policeman, had' taken upon himself to prize the door and! effect a forcible entry .into Seth Murch's: cottage. , it ; The old man ' jiad been found lying; prone 'upon the floor, at some distance! from his \isrial place by the fireside. ,Hisj chair had been flung into a corner of the; room. There was evidence of > disturbance ' in both rooms — ransacking of drawers and, cupboards, and upsetting of the furniture j and wares of the shop. Old Murch was i quite dead. As Waters judged, the old! man had been dead many hours. , A pickaxe, a crowbar,, and a spade j tested beside the grate. ■ .The hearthstone 1 had! evidently been' lifted from its place, j Fresh mould, fragments of stone, and dry' mortar strewed'the room. The stone had ' been clumsily restored to its position— the assumption being that old Muroh's treasure j had been first removed. It wa3 my t^ak to examine the body of the miser, but I looked in vain for any signs' of violence. 