Re: Tuesday 24 March - Wednesday 25 March, 1925
In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 327):
He saw that, indeed, it looked like there was someone lying there on the bank for a while, bleeding. But he lacked the skill to determine where the man had gone.
Being a more experienced tracker, Darlington came over and examined the area using his torch.
"Lawd above! He was in bad shape when I left 'im, what wiv grievous wounds ter 'is 'ead, arm an' leg. In me experience anyone what so badly injured, 'ed be a goner. I don't know 'ow 'e survived, awer even if 'e survived."
"Look, there was anuvver person 'ere. 'E clearly dragged da body dis way. Damn curious, innit?"
They saw that someone, definitely another person, had dragged the body to the bridge, then a blood trail led over the bridge towards the gate. The Major would have had to pass by them in the lorry as he fatefully returned to the mansion but it was possible they could have hid just off the raised roadway in the weed-filled ditch. There was only one set of footprints plus drag marks in places, with no indication that Tewfik recovered enough to walk under his own power.