human
Jack, my man, said Mr. Duke,
gpt
Weel, ye see, Mr. Duke, began Jack falteringly,
human
I was lying in my bed on Friday night when young Halcro Ericson knocked at the door and telt me that Thora Kinlay was out in the storm and couldna be found. So I cam' along to Stromness--
gpt
Ay, but dinna mind that part o' the story, Jack, interrupted Mr. Duke;
human
Yes, Mr. Duke,
gpt
Did you both go into the cottage?
human
No, said Jack,
gpt
Steenie ran away down to the town to tell the doctor. I went into Mary's mysel'. But Mary was away at Kirkwall, ye ken. I saw that some person had been there, however; for the peats were still hot, and there was some roasted potatoes on the table, forbye a cloth that had blood on it.
human
And you waited about there until Dr. Linklater came?
gpt
Yes, Mr. Duke.
human
Now do you recognize this as the gun you found?
gpt
Ay, that's just it,
human
Have you ever seen the gun before, Paterson?
gpt
No,
human
What! have you never seen Ericson with it?
gpt
Never, said Paterson,
human
Are you sure that Ericson had not the gun with him when he knocked you up on Friday night?
gpt
Yes, quite sure,
human
And where did Ericson go to after he left you?
gpt
I dinna ken, Mr. Thomson. He said he was to gang back to Lyndardy. But ye'd better ask himsel', had ye not?
human
Very well, Jack, that will do now. You may both go.
gpt
Now, doctor, would you just let us hear what you have to say, please?
human
Mr. Drever came to me early on Friday morning and told me that Colin Lothian had been shot dead over by Mary Firth's cottage, and I went out. I met the man Barrio on the way, and he turned back with me, conducting me to the spot. I found Lothian quite dead. He had been dead quite two hours, I should say. There was a gunshot wound in his back under the left shoulder. I got Paterson and Barrie to take off a door in Mary Firth's room, and we carried the body upon it down to my house. I made an examination of the body, and extracted several swan shot from the left lung.
gpt
I suppose you need me no longer, bailie?
human
No, doctor, that's all, said Mr. Duke.
gpt
Just tell Macfarlane to send David Flett in, will you?