papers, which certainly are
important.'

"By this time the morning was creeping on apace, and we thought it
prudent to leave the spot. We stood at the end of the lane for a few
moments conversing, and those moments were the last in which I ever saw
Marmaduke Bannerworth."

"Answer me a question," said Henry.

"I will; ask me what you please, I will answer it."

"Was it you that called at Bannerworth Hall, after my father's
melancholy death, and inquired for him?"

"I did; and when I heard of the deed that he had done, I at once left,
in order to hold counsel with myself as to what I should do to obtain at
least a portion of the property, one-half of which, it was understood,
was to have been mine. I heard what had been the last words used by
Marmaduke Bannerworth on the occasion of his death, and they were amply
sufficient to let me know what had been done with the money--at all
events, so far as regards the bestowal of it in some secret place; and
from that moment the idea of, by some means or another, getting the
exclusive possession of it, never forsook my mind.

"I thought over the matter by day and, by night; and with the exception
of having a knowledge of the actual hiding-place of the money, I could
see, in the clearest possible manner, how the whole affair had been
transacted. There can be no doubt but that Marmaduke Bannerworth had
reached home safely with the large sum of which he had become possessed,
and that he had hidden it securely, which was but an ordinary measure of
precaution, when we come to consider how the property had been obtained.

"Then I suspect that, being alone, and left to the gloom of his own
miserable thoughts, they reverted so painfully to the past that he was
compelled to drink deeply for the purpose of drowning reflection.

"The natural consequence of this, in his state, was, that partial
insanity supervened, and at a moment when frenzy rose far above
reflection, he must have committed the dreadful act which hurried him
instantaneously to eternity."

"Yes," said Henry; "it must have been so; you have guessed truly. He did
on that occasion drink an immense quantity of wine; but instead of
stilling the pangs of remorse it must have increased them, and placed
him in such a frenzied condition of intellect, that he found it
impossible to withstand the impulse of it, unless by the terrific act
which ended his existence."

"Yes, and which at once crushed all my expectations of th