five o'clock
Ingram Swaynestone , Grove , the waggoner , and Stevens , the Sexton , all saw Everard going on the upland path to Swaynestone . But the blacksmith swore to seeing him in the village street at the same hour . A keeper saw him going to the copse at the same time that a shepherd met him on the down going in another direction . At five o'clock two rectory maids saw Everard run in by the back door and upstairs , followed by the cat ; he made no reply when Miss Maitland spoke to him . An hour later , Everard asked the cook for raw meat for a black eye , which he said he got by running against a tree in the dark . Blood was found in a basin in his room , and on the grey suit , which was much stained and torn , as if by a struggle . A handkerchief of Everard 's was found in the wood , also a stick he had been seen with in the morning .