er word. She detested Ashton--the thought of
marriage with him was unbearable to her. She retired to her room, but
could not sleep. At some hour later, possibly shortly after midnight, as
she says, she went to Mr. Ashton's room, and was admitted by him. She
begged for the letter--he refused--a violent altercation ensued--in her
rage she grasped the poker, and struck him with it. He fell, but she
found, by feeling his heart, that he was not dead. She believed that she
had only stunned him, and set to work to secure the jewel. After
removing it from the case, she feared to take it from the room. She had
no wish to steal it, but only to prevent Mr. Ashton from making use of
it. She hit upon the plan of hiding it in the cake of soap. In half an
hour the thing was done, and the pieces, collected upon her
handkerchief, thrown out of the window. She then set about leaving the
room, but, on again feeling Mr. Ashton's heart, she found it very weak.
She feared the result of her blow. To destroy the evidence of what she
had done, she threw the poker out of the window into the grass, and
hurriedly left the room, forgetting the handkerchief in her agitation as
she did so. She returned to her room, but was doubtless unable to sleep,
in terror at her act. Toward morning she decided to leave the house and
flee, and, with this object in view, changed her clothes and shoes, but
once more went to Mr. Ashton's room, to assure herself that he no longer
lived. In doing this, she awoke you, either by accident or design. You
heard her story, she threw herself upon your mercy, and you agreed to
stand by her; you advised her against running away, but suggested that
she go down and get the poker, which she had thrown from the window, in
order that it might be replaced in the room, or otherwise disposed of.
This she did. You meanwhile entered the room, bolted the door on the
inside, and left by the window. It is probable that you examined the
body while in the room, and, unknown to yourself, your hand became
stained with blood. On reaching the roof, you rested it upon the sill
while closing the window with the other hand. You then re-entered the
house by the hall window, meeting Miss Temple, who had secured the
poker, and taking it from her. You placed it in your room, meanwhile
urging her to retire to hers and change her dress and shoes. A little
later you aroused the house with your cries and, upon entering the room,
rebolted the window while Majo