صفحة 241 من 657

He had, as it appears, been returning from Fareham in the

twilight, and as the country was unknown to him, and the

chalk-pit unfenced, the jury had no hesitation in bringing in a

verdict of 'death from accidental causes.' Carefully as I

examined every fact connected with his death, I was unable to

find anything which could suggest the idea of murder. There were

no signs of violence, no footmarks, no robbery, no record of

strangers having been seen upon the roads. And yet I need not

tell you that my mind was far from at ease, and that I was

well-nigh certain that some foul plot had been woven round him.

"In this sinister way I came into my inheritance. You will ask me

why I did not dispose of it? I answer, because I was well

convinced that our troubles were in some way dependent upon an

incident in my uncle's life, and that the danger would be as

pressing in one house as in another.