“I will not permit it,” continued the agitated young man:  “I am master here, and I say it shall not be done.  What new horror would you evoke?  Is it not enough that one of the kindest, best of God’s creatures, has perished, but another sacrifice must—­What do I say?  Enough that I will not permit it.  I have seen similar cases-very similar cases in—­in India!”

The gentleman so strangely addressed had exchanged significant glances during the delivery of this incoherent speech; and, quite confirmed in their previous impression, Mr. Hardyman, as their spokesman, interrupted the speaker, to inform him that he was the suspected assassin of his aunt!  The accusing sentences had hardly passed the solicitor’s lips, when the furious young man sprang towards him with the bound of a tiger, and at one blow prostrated him on the floor.  He was immediately seized by the two medical gentlemen, and help having been summoned, he was with much difficulty secured, and placed in strict confinement, to await the result of the next day’s inquiry.

The examination of the body disclosed the terrible fact, that the deceased lady had perished by acetate of morphine; thus verifying the sagacious guess of Dr. Archer.  A minute search was immediately made throughout Mr. Frederick Everett’s apartments, and behind one of the drawers of a cabinet in his bedroom—­at the back of the shelf or partition upon which the drawer rested, and of course completely hidden by the drawer itself when in its place—­was found a flat tin flask, fluted on the outside, and closed with a screw stopper:  it was loosely enveloped in a sheet of brown paper, directed “—­Everett, Esq., Woodlands Manor-House, Yorkshire;” and upon close examination, a small quantity of white powder, which proved to be acetate of morphine, was found in the flask.  Suspicion of young Everett’s guilt now became conviction; and, as if to confirm beyond all doubt the soundness of the chain of circumstantial evidence in which he was immeshed, the butler, John Darby, an aged and trusty servant of the late Mrs. Fitzhugh, made on the next day the following deposition before the magistrates:—­

“He had taken in, two days before his late mistress was seized with her fatal illness, a small brown paper parcel which had been brought by coach from London, and for which 2s. 10d carriage was charged and paid.  The paper found in Mr. Frederick Everett’s cabinet was, he could positively swear, from the date and figures marked on it, and the handwriting, the paper wrapper of that parcel.  He had given it to young Mr. Everett, who happened to be in the library at the time.  About five minutes afterwards, he had occasion to return to the library, to inform him that some fishing-tackle he had ordered was sent home.  The door was ajar; and Mr. Frederick did not at first perceive his entrance, as he was standing with his back to the door.  The paper parcel he, the butler, had just before delivered was lying open on the table,