There was the furniture as I remembered it, the
dirty walls, the opened window. But the overturned chair stood against
the wall, the cards were stacked on the table, and there was no body
lying on the floor. So startled was I by this discovery that I could
scarcely credit my eyesight, but was brought to a realization of the
truth by Coombs' harsh laugh.
"Well, where 's yer dead man? I reckon ye don't see none, hey!"
"No," I insisted, "but I did see one--twice. The body lay there where
the stain shows on the floor. It has been carried away within half an
hour."
"A likely story. Who could do the job? Nobody round this shebang but
Sallie an' me. I sure ain't been in yere, an' I reckon it wan't
Sallie. So cut it out, young feller. After breakfast you an' I 'll
hav' a talk, an' find out a few things. Come on, Broussard, an' let 's
talk over that matter o' ours."
The two went down the stairs together, and I closed the door of the
rear room, and stepped out into the hall. Sallie was in the kitchen,
for I heard her voice questioning the men as they passed through. Out
of the window I caught a glimpse of them both disappearing through the
weeds toward the bayou. As to myself I was more at sea than ever. The
sudden disappearance of the body had left me bewildered, yet more
strongly convinced than before that this was no ordinary affair.
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