rd a whispered conversation between two of the servants,
in which I learned that Mr. Clavering had been seen to enter the
house on the night of the murder, but was not seen to leave it. That
determined me. With such a fact for a starting-point, what might I not
hope to accomplish? Hannah alone stood in my way. While she remained
alive I saw nothing but ruin before me. I made up my mind to destroy
her and satisfy my hatred of Mr. Clavering at one blow. But how? By what
means could I reach her without deserting my post, or make away with
her without exciting fresh suspicion? The problem seemed insolvable;
but Trueman Harwell had not played the part of a machine so long without
result. Before I had studied the question a day, light broke upon it,
and I saw that the only way to accomplish my plans was to inveigle her
into destroying herself.

No sooner had this thought matured than I hastened to act upon it.
Knowing the tremendous risk I ran, I took every precaution. Locking
myself up in my room, I wrote her a letter in printed characters--she
having distinctly told me she could not read writing--in which I played
upon her ignorance, foolish fondness, and Irish superstition, by telling
her I dreamed of her every night and wondered if she did of me; was
afraid she didn't, so enclosed her _a._ little charm, which, if she
would use according to directions, would give her the most beautiful
visions. These directions were for her first to destroy my letter
by burning it, next to take in her hand the packet I was careful to
enclose, swallow the powder accompanying it, and go to bed. The powder
was a deadly dose of poison and the packet was, as you know, a forged
confession falsely criminating Henry Clavering. Enclosing all these in
an envelope in the corner of which I had marked a cross, I directed it,
according to agreement, to Mrs. Belden, and sent it.

Then followed the greatest period of suspense I had yet endured. Though
I had purposely refrained from putting my name to the letter, I felt
that the chances of detection were very great. Let her depart in the
least particular from the course I had marked out for her, and fatal
results must ensue. If she opened the enclosed packet, mistrusted the
powder, took Mrs. Belden into her confidence, or even failed to burn my
letter, all would be lost. I could not be sure of her or know the result
of my scheme except through the newspapers. Do you think I kept watch
of the countenances