n a passion, but
hear me what I have to say." Then I told him, "I believe, sir, you
have got something in your water gruel that has done you some injury,
and I believe Miss Blandy put it in, by her coming into the washhouse
on Monday and saying she had been stirring her papa's water gruel and
eating the oatmeal out from the bottom." He said, "I find I have
something not right; my head is not right as it used to be, nor has
been for some time." I had before told him I had found the powder in
the gruel. He said, "Dost thou know anything of this powder? Didst
thee ever see any of it?" I said, "No, sir, I never saw any but what I
saw in the water gruel." He said, "Dost know where she had this
powder, nor canst not thee guess?" I said, "I cannot tell, except she
had it of Mr. Cranstoun." My reason for suspecting that was, Miss
Blandy had letters oftener than usual. My master said, "And, now thee
mention'st it, I remember when he was at my house he mentioned a
particular poison that they had in their country," saying, "Oh, that
villain! that ever he came to my house!" I told him likewise that I
had showed the powder to Mr. Norton; he asked what Mr. Norton said to
it; I told him Mr. Norton could not say what it was, as it was wet,
but said, "Let it be what it will, it ought not to be there"; and said
he was fearful there was foul play somewhere. My master said, "What,
Norton not know! that is strange, and so much used to drugs." Then I
told him Mr. Norton thought proper he should search her pockets, and
take away her keys and papers. He said, "I cannot do it, I cannot
shock her so much; canst not thee, when thou goest into her room, take
out a letter or two, that she may think she dropped them by chance?" I
told him, "I had no right to do it; she is your daughter, and you have
a right to do it, and nobody else." He said, "I never in all my life
read a letter that came to my daughter from any person." He desired,
if possible, if I could meet with any powder anywhere that I would
secure it.

Do you remember when Ann Emmet was sick (the charwoman)?--I do, but
cannot say how long or how little a time before this; I remember she
was ill some time before my master's death.

What did the prisoner order the old woman to eat at that time?--She
sent her some sack whey and some broth, I believe, to the value of a
quart or three pints at twice, about once a day, or every other day,
for four or five days.

Have you been ill from what y