What particular registers did this man examine?
Births, deaths, marriages--which ?" "All three, between the dates I have mentioned--1870 to 1880," replied Mr.Ridley.
"Did you think that he was searching for some particular entry ?" "I certainly did think so." "Did he seem to find it ?" asked the coroner, with a shrewd glance.
"If he did find such an entry," replied Mr.Ridley slowly, "he gave no sign of it; he did not copy or make a note of it, and he did not ask any copy of it from me.

My impression--whatever it is worth--is that he did not find what he wanted in our registers.

I am all the more convinced of that because--" Here Mr.Ridley paused, as if uncertain whether to proceed or not; but at an encouraging nod from the coroner he went on.
"I was merely going to say--and I don't suppose it is evidence--" he added, "that I understand this man visited several of my brother clergymen in the neighbourhood on the same errand.

It was talked of at the last meeting of our rural deanery." "Ah!" remarked the coroner significantly.

"He appears, then, to have been going round examining the parish registers--we must get more evidence of that later, for I'm convinced it has a bearing on the subject of this present inquiry.