Miss Arnott's Marriage

Excerpt: ...As soon as I heard his voice I thought there was something queer about it. So I went up and had a look at him. Then I saw I'd shot the wrong man." "Then what did you do?" "Walked straight off." "And left that unfortunate man lying helpless on the ground?" "He wasn't helpless, nor yet he wasn't lying on the ground. He was hopping about like a pig in a fit." "You know it has been proved that this man was stabbed to death?" "I've heard tell on it." "Now--and remember that you are not bound to answer--did you stab him?" "I did not. I swear to God I didn't. After I pulled the trigger I done nothing to him at all." "Is it possible that you were so drunk as to have been unconscious of what you did?" "Not a bit of it. So soon as I see as I'd shot the wrong man that sobered me, I tell you. All I thought about was getting away. I went straight to my own place, two miles off." "When you last saw this man he was still alive?" "Very much alive he was." "He had not been stabbed?" "He hadn't, so far as I know." "You must have known if he had been." "I never touched him, and I asked no questions." "What was he doing when you saw him last?" "Hopping about and swearing." "And you don't know what happened to him afterwards?" "I see nothing; I'd seen more than enough already. I tell you I walked straight off home." "And you heard nothing?" "Nothing out of the way." "Why haven't you told this story of yours before?" "Because I didn't want to have any bother, that's why. I knew I hadn't killed him, that was enough for me. Small shot don't hurt no one--at least, not serious. Any man can have a shot at me for a ten-pound note; there's some that's had it for less. But when I heard you saying that the man as shot him stabbed him, then I...