"Fired from this if I am not mistaken," went on Herrick producing the pistol.
"You can't be sure of that. And admitting that it is so, how did the pistol come into possession of Joyce, if Frisco used it?"
"I am in the dark there," said Herrick vexedly. "I must get the truth out of Joyce. Time to see him now," and he glanced at his watch. "As to the pistol I'll see Bridge and find out if the bullet fits."
Bess held out her hand. "Let me do that," she said, "while you are watching Joyce and the Mexican I can attend to that matter."
"Do you think you will be able?" hesitated Herrick.
"I am certain I can. Besides I want to have some part in the discovery of the truth."
The doctor handed her the pistol. He knew that she was a clever girl, and would not undertake a thing unless she could execute it thoroughly. "You and I can do the detective business together," he said. "I will look after Joyce and Santiago and Frisco if I can find him; your part will be to trace the pistol and to see if the bullet fits. You can manage Bridge?"
"Easily," replied Bess, putting the pistol away, "he is so conceited that a little flattery goes a long way with him."
"Don't let him meddle in this matter. He will only spoil it. I know what to do. Leave it to me."
Dr. Jim took up his hat to go. Suddenly he recollected a point he had not yet discussed and sat down again. "About Pentland Corn," said he, "what do you think of him Bess?"
"He is a good man," she replied promptly, "but he is weak. I am sure there is nothing wrong about him."
"Yet why should he make such a friend of Santiago?"
"He would not tell you the truth if you did. He has his own secrets."
Bess nodded. "But I do not believe they are bad secrets," she said, "the rector is a man with a past--a sad past. Did you know he was a soldier before he became a parson?"
"No," replied Dr. Jim, "and yet I always thought he had a martial air about him. Why did he leave the army?"
"He said he had a call. No!" added Bess hastily seeing the doctor's lip curl, "I do not think he is a hypocrite. He is most devout."
"Humph! I do not believe much in that emotional religion," said Jim with a shake of his head, "a call had he, and left the army for that? I should like to hear a more feasible story. He was a friend of Colonel Carr's?"