e and disinterested friend warns 'A. D.' that he is to be
summoned as a witness in the trial of B---- at F----, and advises him
to leave the country at once, taking with him or destroying all
compromising papers which he may have in his possession."

After gazing at the note in amazement for a few moments, Gilcrest
crossed over to the secretary in one corner of the room, and took from
a locked receptacle the two papers which James Anson Drane, four years
since, had exhibited to him in that room.

As Gilcrest now sat musing with the two documents in his hand, he
recalled several points which, had he not been so completely under the
influence of the wily lawyer, would have aroused grave suspicions. One
was the exceeding reluctance Drane had shown in regard to leaving the
two papers at Oaklands; another was the singular fascination which, of
late, the old mahogany secretary had seemed to hold for the lawyer; and
still another was this, that once when Drane and Gilcrest were in this
room, the latter had been called out. Returning unexpectedly, a moment
later, he found Drane with his hand on the knob of that little locked
inner drawer, as if he were trying to pull it open. At the time, Drane
had averted suspicion by saying that he was examining the peculiar
mechanism of the old and valuable secretary, and admiring its beautiful
carving and workmanship.

Major Gilcrest now also remembered that for several months prior to the
showing of the two papers--in fact, ever since Logan's visit to
Virginia--Drane had been dropping hints and insinuations against Abner.
But Gilcrest recalled, too, that even earlier than this, Logan had
once, in a conversation at Rogers' house, expressed the greatest
admiration for Aaron Burr; also that he had been seen in what appeared
to be close counsel with Wilkinson, Sebastian and Murray at the tavern
on court day, and that he had visited Blennerhassett Island in company
with Sebastian and Murray. So that for several years Gilcrest had
entertained no doubt that his son-in-law was to some degree implicated
in this treasonable movement. But now, having read that anonymous
warning which Drane had dropped in the hall an hour since, Gilcrest was
altogether puzzled. There could be no doubt that the initials "A. D."
in the anonymous note stood, not for Abner Dudley, but for Anson Drane,
who probably for greater security had dropped his first baptismal name
in the correspondence with the intriguers. "Can i