Chapter 11

⁠​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​⁠Close upon the hour of noon the whole village was suddenly electrified with the ghastly news. No need of the as yet un-dreamed-of telegraph; the tale flew from man to man, from group to group, from house to house, with little less than telegraphic speed. Of course the schoolmaster gave holiday for that afternoon; the town would have thought strangely of him if he had not.

A gory knife had been foun