ed me to it; but my
great difficulty was how to obtain money. By an accidental
circumstance, Howard Pemberton became aware of my passion for the
sea, and he upbraided me about it, kindly and honestly, but I could
not brook it; my old friendship with him ceased, and I grew to hate
him.

About this time, the reception was given at Dr. Brier's of which
you have heard. But you have not heard, and never can know, what
that evening was to me. Satan seemed to have entered into me as he
did into Judas.

I took the miniature and snuff-box from the cabinet in which they
were placed by Mrs. Brier, and resolved to cast the suspicion of
the theft upon Howard.

That night I placed the miniature in the hands of Williams, who
gave me twenty pounds for it, and the snuff-box I placed in the
ticking of Howard's bed.

Need I tell you all the catalogue of wrong? You can almost guess
the rest. Williams procured for me a suit of clothes which would
disguise me, and these were placed ready for me by arrangement with
him. The early morning was very cold, and as I intended to travel
far I thought I would take my great coat. In the hurry and
excitement of the moment, I mistook Howard's for mine.

I left my clothes upon the river bank, and that afternoon I set
sail for America.

In America I spent a few months, the remembrance of which I would
gladly blot from my memory. Money came to me fast from gambling,
and as quickly went. All the time I was restless, fearful, ill at
ease and sick at heart. I had never heard one single word of how my
disappearance might have afflicted those I left behind. I knew not
whether you really thought me dead, or whether my secret had oozed
out. At length I determined, with tears of penitence, to return, to
confess all, to purchase back the miniature from Williams with
money I had won. And, with this resolve, I started back to England.
On arriving, I took up a newspaper, and you may judge the terror I
felt as I read the account of Williams's awful death with the
miniature upon him. It staggered me, but it did not melt my heart.
I interpreted it that my plans were frustrated, as I found that Dr.
Brier had obtained possession of the miniature. I dared not remain
in the country, for fear of discovery and of identification with
the crime of Williams; but I coul