Cat Among the Herrings by L. C. Tyler Read Free Book Online Page A

no dispute over the field as such. Lancelot had objected to the Gittings’ cattle being driven across it, but no damage had been done because no damage could be done to such a useless patch of reeds and thistles, flooded half the year. He too was asked if John Gittings had hadany enemies and replied in the negative. He had been a good man and a good master. So was his brother George, now he had in his turn inherited the farm – a very good man. He was honoured to serve him.
    Oliver Cate, another fisherman, gave his evidence. He knew, he said, of no falling-out between Lancelot and John Gittings. He thought Lancelot was a proud fellow with a name that was above his station in life. He did not know if Lancelot’s ancestors had previously been rich, but Lancelot often told him that they had. Somebody had once pointed out a tomb in the church as being one of Lancelot’s ancestors; but, since he couldn’t read, he couldn’t say for sure that it was so. It was a fine tomb, though, with a knight in armour, lacking only part of his sword and his nose. The knife was certainly Lancelot’s. He’d seen him use it. There was a notch on the handle that he recognised. On the day of the murder, he’d seen Lancelot Pagham on the green in the morning, but not later. He hadn’t seen John Gittings at all. The following day, when the search for John Gittings had commenced, he had been the one to find his body in the Herring Field. It had been dragged into a reed bed. John Gittings had been stabbed several times, once through the heart. The knife had been abandoned close by, as if thrown there in guilty haste. The reeds and thistles close by had been trampled down, pointing to a mortal struggle on that spot. He had reported the discovery to George Gittings and then to the constable.
    George Gittings then took the stand. The judge had to ask him to repeat the oath, because he had been unable to hear him the first time. Perhaps the proceedings had become a little raucous by that stage. Lancelot Pagham had calledout to him from the dock: ‘Look at me, George Gittings!’ The judge had called for order. Gittings then proceeded to give his evidence. He was unaware of any animosity between his brother and the accused. He confirmed that ‘harsh words had been spoken’ about the Herring Field. But rumours of anything more than that were completely untrue, however many people may have said it. The accused was known as a haughty man but he meant no harm by it. This too must have provoked a reaction because the judge said that he would clear the court if there were further disturbances. In any case, George had added, in the phrase that would haunt him ever after, when he had last seen Lancelot Pagham he was heading away from the Herring Field and towards the church. Some other man must have killed his brother. Later, George said, he had gone into Chichester to purchase a plough, which had been delivered some days afterwards. When he returned home he had found the house in a state of some agitation because John had not come back. He had ridden a tired horse to Jane Taylor’s cottage but all she had been able to tell him was that they had quarrelled bitterly that morning and she had not seen him since. The family had waited up all night. In the morning, search parties had been sent out. When the body had been found, he went to the Herring Field and helped bring it home. He hoped he would be excused further questioning, because he was still unwell.
    A doctor gave evidence that he had examined the body and that the cause of death was a stab wound to the heart. There were other more superficial wounds to the chest and arms. The victim’s knuckles were bruised and his handscut, as if he had resisted for a while before the fatal blow was struck.
    Finally, Lancelot Pagham was questioned. It was true, he said, that his family had once been more important than it was now – there were in fact two tombs of his ancestors in the local church. Unlike Mr