The bodies had been already recognized when the main part of the crowd
arrived. Kensington people, generally, knew them both.
"It's William Zane and his business partner, Sayler Rainey! They own one
of the marine railways at Kensington. Come to think of it, I haven't
seen them around for nearly a week, neighbor!" exclaimed an old man.
"It's a case of drowning, no doubt," spoke up a little fellow who did a
river business in old chains and junk. "You see they had another
ship-mending place on the island opposite Kinsington, and rowin'
theirselves over was upset and never missed!"
"Quare enough too!" added a third party, "for yisterday I had a talk
with young Andrew Zane, this one's son (touching the body with his
foot), and Andrew said--a little pale I thought he was--says he, 'Pop's
_about_.'"
Here a little buzz of mystery--so grateful to crowds which have come far
over slippery surface and expect much--undulated to the outward
boundaries. As the people moved the ice cracked like a cannon shot, and
they dispersed like blackbirds, to rally soon again.
"Here's a doctor! Now we'll know about it! _He's_ here!" was exclaimed
by several, as an important little man was pushed along, and the
thickest crowd gave him passage. The little man borrowed a boy's cap to
kneel on, adjusted a sort of microscopic glass to his nose, as if plain
eyes had no adequate use to this scientific necessity, and he called up
two volunteers to turn the corpses over, keep back the throng, give him
light, and add imposition to apprehension.
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