“‘Let me examine it first, if you please,’ said Mr. Quillet, as he began to exhibit signs of agitation.
“The letter was handed to him, and after reading it carefully, he said:
“‘We object to the reading of this letter as evidence, unless it can be clearly shown who wrote it, and wherein it can in any manner be made to apply to the case now on trial.’
“‘We promise the court,’ replied Mr. Rockland, ‘that we will, at the proper time, show who wrote it, and also make it clear that it applies most forcibly to this case.’
“‘You may read the letter,’ said the judge, ‘and if you can make the proof which you mentioned, it may be considered as competent evidence; if you fail, then the court will direct it to be excluded.’
“Mr. Rockland then read the letter in his deep, solemn tone of voice, which caused a shudder to shake my body from head to foot. Here is the mysterious letter:
“‘DEAR V.—Strychnine, as I have often told you, is the best medicine to rid you of rats. You may depend on me to settle the hash with the old rat, and I shall expect you to do the job for the two young ones. Exercise caution, and success is certain; be sure to remember that the stakes for which we play are of immense value. Love and fortune will be ours when the task is finished. You will be the richest lady in the land, and shall reign as the queen of fashion, as well as queen of hearts. A gilded palace in the sunny land of Italy shall be the dwelling place of my beauteous wife. Burn this letter as soon as you read it; be brave, act promptly, and we will reap a rich reward. I am dying with impatience to clasp your dear form to my heart. Yours, and yours only,
B.’
“If Mrs. Ragland had been chained in a lake of liquid fire the evidence of torture could not have been greater than that which she exhibited while Mr. Rockland was reading that letter. Her eyeballs seemed to have grown much larger, while a wild, frightened expression shot forth from them, and every little jostle made by the spectators caused her to start suddenly as if she were badly frightened. She insisted that the letter had been placed in her dress pocket by Miss Bramlett, in order to divert suspicion from herself.
“‘If,’ said she, ‘Miss Bramlett could have the heart to murder her poor little brother, it is not at all strange that she should try to fix the crime on some one else, in order to save her own neck.’