Chapter16
WITHmyheadfullofGeorgeBarnwell，IwasatfirstdisposedtobelievethatImusthavehadsomehandintheattackuponmysister，oratalleventsthatashernearrelation，popularlyknowntobeunderobligationstoher，Iwasamorelegitimateobjectofsuspicionthananyoneelse。
Butwhen，intheclearerlightofnextmorning，Ibegantoreconsiderthematterandtohearitdiscussedaroundmeonallsides，Itookanotherviewofthecase，whichwasmorereasonable。
JoehadbeenattheThreeJollyBargemen，smokinghispipe，fromaquarteraftereighto\'clocktoaquarterbeforeten。Whilehewasthere，mysisterhadbeenseenstandingatthekitchendoor，andhadexchangedGoodNightwithafarm-labourergoinghome。Themancouldnotbemoreparticularastothetimeatwhichhesawherhegotintodenseconfusionwhenhetriedtobe，thanthatitmusthavebeenbeforenine。WhenJoewenthomeatfiveminutesbeforeten，hefoundherstruckdownonthefloor，andpromptlycalledinassistance。Thefirehadnotthenburntunusuallylow，norwasthesnuffofthecandleverylong；thecandle，however，hadbeenblownout。
Nothinghadbeentakenawayfromanypartofthehouse。Neither，beyondtheblowingoutofthecandle-whichstoodonatablebetweenthedoorandmysister，andwasbehindherwhenshestoodfacingthefireandwasstruck-wasthereanydisarrangementofthekitchen，exceptingsuchassheherselfhadmade，infallingandbleeding。But，therewasoneremarkablepieceofevidenceonthespot。Shehadbeenstruckwithsomethingbluntandheavy，ontheheadandspine；aftertheblowsweredealt，somethingheavyhadbeenthrowndownatherwithconsiderableviolence，asshelayonherface。Andonthegroundbesideher，whenJoepickedherup，wasaconvict\'sleg-ironwhichhadbeenfiledasunder。