The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 185: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

168 REYNOLDS’ WORKS irrelevant, are oftentimes found to enter as important links into a chain of evidence. Not, be it understood, that the head constable fancied for a single moment there was any one at Saxondale Castle, either at the time of the tragedy or on the present occasion, who could throw the faintest light upon the authorship of the foul deed; he was merely now reflecting that it was important to arrive at the knowl- edge of any fresh particular concerning which such informa- tion could be procured. | We should add that the head constable of Gainsborough had been much blamed at the time — as indeed is always the case with police authorities in such cases — for not having discovered the murderers. It had been said that he was inefficient, and an attempt was even made to remove him from his situation. He had thus an important incentive to make him display fresh activity in respect to any new particulars which transpired. The head constable, having learned from the peasant on the preceding evening that Lady Saxondale was at the castle, made up his mind to call upon her for the purpose of soliciting any information which she might be able to give on the two specific points, — whether the murdered women were expected to call upon her on the night of the tragedy, and whether the dress was for herself or any guest staying with her at the time. But then it occurred to the official, that if the dress had really been for her ladyship, she could not have failed to recognize it as being such a one as she had ordered to be made, when the peasant took it to the castle and displayed it as already described. On the other hand, the constable argued that if her son Lord Saxondale had really been unduly intimate with Emily Archer, her lady- ship would have naturally avoided any unnecessary allusion on the point, and might have chosen to keep to herself whatsoever she knew in respect to that dress. Then again he reflected how improbable it was that the son’s mistress — if such she were — should have been employed as the bearer of a parcel for the mother. Thus, altogether, the constable erew more and more bewildered the longer he meditated on the matter; the day was passing away, and he could decide upon nothing. Finally, however, in the evening, he consulted a friend, and by his advice adopted his original resolution of proceeding to the castle. ECORRIELOOOKS (E(@) m