Strange!twopowerfulandwealthyfamilies，thatinwhichshewasborn，andthatintowhichshehadmarried，haveceasedtobe——theyareutterlyextinct。
TothosewhoknowanythingofthehistoryofIrishfamilies，astheywerelessthanacenturyago，thefactswhichimmediatelyfollowwillatoncesuggestTHENAMESoftheprincipalactors；andtootherstheirpublicationwouldbeuseless——
tous，possibly，ifnotprobably，injurious。
Ihave，therefore，alteredsuchofthenamesasmight，ifstated，getusintodifficulty；others，belongingtominorcharactersinthestrangestory，Ihaveleftuntouched。
Mydearfriend，——Youhaveaskedmetofurnishyouwithadetailofthestrangeeventswhichmarkedmyearlyhistory，andIhave，withouthesitation，appliedmyselftothetask，knowingthat，whileI
live，akindconsiderationformyfeelingswillpreventyourgivingpublicitytothestatement；andconsciousthat，whenIamnomore，therewillnotsurviveonetowhomthenarrativecanproveinjurious，orevenpainful。
MymotherdiedwhenIwasquiteaninfant，andofherIhavenorecollection，eventhefaintest。Byherdeath，myeducationandhabitswereleftsolelytotheguidanceofmysurvivingparent；and，asfarasasternattentiontomyreligiousinstruction，andanactiveanxietyevincedbyhisprocuringformethebestmasterstoperfectmeinthoseaccomplishmentswhichmystationandwealthmightseemtorequire，couldavail，heamplydischargedthetask。
Myfatherwaswhatiscalledanoddity，andhistreatmentofme，thoughuniformlykind，flowedlessfromaffectionandtendernessthanfromasenseofobligationandduty。Indeed，Iseldomevenspoketohimexceptatmeal-times，andthenhismannerwassilentandabrupt；hisleisurehours，whichweremany，werepassedeitherinhisstudyorinsolitarywalks；inshort，heseemedtotakenofurtherinterestinmyhappinessorimprovementthanaconscientiousregardtothedischargeofhisowndutywouldseemtoclaim。
Shortlybeforemybirthacircumstancehadoccurredwhichhadcontributedmuchtoformandtoconfirmmyfather’ssecludedhabits——itwasthefactthatasuspicionofMURDERhadfallenuponhisyoungerbrother，thoughnotsufficientlydefinitetoleadtoanindictment，yetstrongenoughtoruinhiminpublicopinion。
Thisdisgracefulanddreadfuldoubtcastuponthefamilyname，myfatherfeltdeeplyandbitterly，andnotthelesssothathehimselfwasthoroughlyconvincedofhisbrother’sinnocence。Thesincerityandstrengthofthisimpressionheshortlyafterwardsprovedinamannerwhichproducedthedarkeventswhichfollow。
Before，however，Ienteruponthestatementofthem，Ioughttorelatethecircumstanceswhichhadawakenedthesuspicion；inasmuchastheyareinthemselvessomewhatcurious，and，intheireffects，mostintimatelyconnectedwithmyafter-history。
Myuncle，SirArthurT——n，wasagayandextravagantman，and，amongothervices，wasruinouslyaddictedtogaming；
thisunfortunatepropensity，evenafterhisfortunehadsufferedsoseverelyastorenderinevitableareductioninhisexpensesbynomeansinconsiderable，neverthelesscontinuedtoactuatehim，nearlytotheexclusionofallotherpursuits；hewas，however，aproud，orratheravainman，andcouldnotbeartomakethediminutionofhisincomeamatterofgratulationandtriumphtothosewithwhomhehadhithertocompeted，andtheconsequencewas，thathefrequentednolongertheexpensivehauntsofdissipation，andretiredfromthegayworld，leavinghiscoterietodiscoverhisreasonsasbesttheymight。
Hedidnot，however，foregohisfavouritevice，for，thoughhecouldnotworshiphisgreatdivinityinthecostlytempleswhereitwasformerlyhiswonttotakehisstand，yethefounditverypossibletobringabouthimasufficientnumberofthevotariesofchancetoanswerallhisends。Theconsequencewas，thatCarrickleigh，whichwasthenameofmyuncle’sresidence，wasneverwithoutoneormoreofsuchvisitorsasI
havedescribed。
IthappenedthatupononeoccasionhewasvisitedbyoneHughTisdall，agentlemanofloosehabits，butofconsiderablewealth，andwhohad，inearlyyouth，travelledwithmyuncleupontheCon-
tinent；theperiodofhisvisitwaswinter，and，consequently，thehousewasnearlydesertedexceptingbyitsregularinmates；
itwasthereforehighlyacceptable，particularlyasmyunclewasawarethathisvisitor’stastesaccordedexactlywithhisown。
BothpartiesseemeddeterminedtoavailthemselvesoftheirsuitabilityduringthebriefstaywhichMr。Tisdallhadpromised；theconsequencewas，thattheyshutthemselvesupinSirArthur’sprivateroomfornearlyallthedayandthegreaterpartofthenight，duringthespaceofnearlyaweek，attheendofwhichtheservanthavingonemorning，asusual，knockedatMr。Tisdall’sbed-
roomdoorrepeatedly，receivednoanswer，and，uponattemptingtoenter，foundthatitwaslocked；thisappearedsuspicious，and，theinmatesofthehousehavingbeenalarmed，thedoorwasforcedopen，and，onproceedingtothebed，theyfoundthebodyofitsoccupantperfectlylifeless，andhanginghalf-wayout，theheaddownwards，andnearthefloor。Onedeepwoundhadbeeninflicteduponthetemple，apparentlywithsomebluntinstrumentwhichhadpenetratedthebrain；andanotherblow，lesseffective，probablythefirstaimed，hadgrazedthehead，removingsomeofthescalp，butleavingtheskulluntouched。Thedoorhadbeendouble-
lockedupontheINSIDE，inevidenceofwhichthekeystilllaywhereithadbeenplacedinthelock。
Thewindow，thoughnotsecuredontheinterior，wasclosed——acircumstancenotalittlepuzzling，asitaffordedtheonlyothermodeofescapefromtheroom；itlookedout，too，uponakindofcourtyard，roundwhichtheoldbuildingsstood，formerlyaccessiblebyanarrowdoorwayandpassagelyingintheoldestsideofthequadrangle，butwhichhadsincebeenbuiltup，soastoprecludeallingressoregress；theroomwasalsouponthesecondstory，andtheheightofthewindowconsiderable。
Nearthebedwerefoundapairofrazorsbelongingtothemurderedman，oneofthemupontheground，andbothofthemopen。Theweaponwhichhadinflictedthemortalwoundwasnottobefoundintheroom，norwereanyfootstepsorothertracesofthemurdererdiscoverable。
AtthesuggestionofSirArthurhimself，acoronerwasinstantlysummonedtoattend，andaninquestwasheld；nothing，however，inanydegreeconclusivewaselicited；thewalls，ceiling，andflooroftheroomwerecarefullyexamined，inordertoascertainwhethertheycontainedatrap-
doororotherconcealedmodeofentrance——butnosuchthingappeared。
Suchwastheminutenessofinvestigationemployed，that，althoughthegratehadcontainedalargefireduringthenight，theyproceededtoexamineeventheverychimney，inordertodiscoverwhetherescapebyitwerepossible；butthisattempt，too，wasfruitless，forthechimney，builtintheoldfashion，roseinaperfectlyperpendicularlinefromthehearthtoaheightofnearlyfourteenfeetabovetheroof，affordinginitsinteriorscarcelythepossibilityofascent，thefluebeingsmoothlyplastered，andslopingtowardsthetoplikeaninvertedfunnel，promising，too，evenifthesummitwereattained，owingtoitsgreatheight，butaprecariousdescentuponthesharpandsteep-ridgedroof；theashes，too，whichlayinthegrate，andthesoot，asfarasitcouldbeseen，wereundisturbed，acircumstancealmostconclusiveofthequestion。
SirArthurwasofcourseexamined；hisevidencewasgivenwithclearnessandunreserve，whichseemedcalculatedtosilenceallsuspicion。Hestatedthat，uptothedayandnightimmediatelyprecedingthecatastrophe，hehadlosttoaheavyamount，butthat，attheirlastsitting，hehadnotonlywonbackhisoriginalloss，butupwardsoffourthousandpoundsinaddition；inevidenceofwhichheproducedanacknowledgmentofdebttothatamountinthehandwritingofthedeceased，andbearingthedateofthefatalnight。
Hehadmentionedthecircumstancetohislady，andinpresenceofsomeofthedomestics；whichstatementwassupportedbyTHEIRrespectiveevidence。
Oneofthejuryshrewdlyobserved，thatthecircumstanceofMr。Tisdall’shavingsustainedsoheavyalossmighthavesuggestedtosomeill-mindedpersonsaccidentallyhearingit，theplanofrobbinghim，afterhavingmurderedhiminsuchamannerasmightmakeitappearthathehadcommittedsuicide；asuppositionwhichwasstronglysupportedbytherazorshavingbeenfoundthusdisplaced，andremovedfromtheircase。Twopersonshadprobablybeenengagedintheattempt，onewatchingbythesleepingman，andreadytostrikehimincaseofhisawakeningsuddenly，whiletheotherwasprocuringtherazorsandemployedininflictingthefatalgash，soastomakeitappeartohavebeentheactofthemurderedmanhimself。ItwassaidthatwhilethejurorwasmakingthissuggestionSirArthurchangedcolour。
Nothing，however，likelegalevidenceappearedagainsthim，andtheconsequencewasthattheverdictwasfoundagainstapersonorpersonsunknown；andforsometimethematterwassufferedtorest，until，afteraboutfivemonths，myfatherreceivedaletterfromapersonsigninghimselfAndrewCollis，andrepresentinghimselftobethecousinofthedeceased。ThisletterstatedthatSirArthurwaslikelytoincurnotmerelysuspicion，butpersonalrisk，unlesshecouldaccountforcertaincircumstancesconnectedwiththerecentmurder，andcontainedacopyofaletterwrittenbythedeceased，andbearingdate，thedayoftheweek，andofthemonth，uponthenightofwhichthedeedofbloodhadbeenperpetrated。Tisdall’snoteranasfollows：
’DEARCOLLIS，’IhavehadsharpworkwithSirArthur；hetriedsomeofhisstaletricks，butsoonfoundthat_I_wasYorkshiretoo：
itwouldnotdo——youunderstandme。Wewenttotheworklikegoodones，head，heartandsoul；and，infact，sinceIcamehere，Ihavelostnotime。Iamratherfagged，butIamsuretobewellpaidformyhardship；IneverwantsleepsolongasIcanhavethemusicofadice-box，andwherewithaltopaythepiper。AsItoldyou，hetriedsomeofhisqueerturns，butIfoiledhimlikeaman，and，inreturn，gavehimmorethanhecouldrelishofthegenuineDEADKNOWLEDGE。
’Inshort，Ihavepluckedtheoldbaronetasneverbaronetwaspluckedbefore；
Ihavescarcelefthimthestumpofaquill；Ihavegotpromissorynotesinhishandtotheamountof——ifyoulikeroundnumbers，say，thirtythousandpounds，safelydepositedinmyportablestrong-
box，aliasdouble-claspedpocket-book。I
leavethisruinousoldrat-holeearlyonto-
morrow，fortworeasons——first，IdonotwanttoplaywithSirArthurdeeperthanIthinkhissecurity，thatis，hismoney，orhismoney’sworth，wouldwarrant；and，secondly，becauseIamsaferahundredmilesfromSirArthurthaninthehousewithhim。Lookyou，myworthy，Itellyouthisbetweenourselves——Imaybewrong，but，byG——，IamassureasthatI
amnowliving，thatSirA——attemptedtopoisonmelastnight；somuchforoldfriendshiponbothsides。
’WhenIwonthelaststake，aheavyoneenough，myfriendleanthisforeheaduponhishands，andyou’lllaughwhenItellyouthathisheadliterallysmokedlikeahotdumpling。Idonotknowwhetherhisagitationwasproducedbytheplanwhichhehadagainstme，orbyhishavinglostsoheavily——thoughitmustbeallowedthathehadreasontobealittlefunked，whicheverwayhisthoughtswent；buthepulledthebell，andorderedtwobottlesofchampagne。Whilethefellowwasbringingthemhedrewoutapromissorynotetothefullamount，whichhesigned，and，asthemancameinwiththebottlesandglasses，hedesiredhimtobeoff；hefilledoutaglassforme，and，whilehethoughtmyeyeswereoff，forIwasputtinguphisnoteatthetime，hedroppedsomethingslylyintoit，nodoubttosweetenit；butIsawitall，and，whenhehandedittome，I
said，withanemphasiswhichhemightormightnotunderstand：
’“Thereissomesedimentinthis；I’llnotdrinkit。“
’“Isthere？“saidhe，andatthesametimesnatcheditfrommyhandandthrewitintothefire。Whatdoyouthinkofthat？haveInotatenderchickentomanage？Winorlose，Iwillnotplaybeyondfivethousandto-night，andto-
morrowseesmesafeoutofthereachofSirArthur’schampagne。So，allthingsconsidered，Ithinkyoumustallowthatyouarenotthelastwhohavefoundaknowingboyin’Yourstocommand，’HUGHTISDALL。’
OftheauthenticityofthisdocumentI
neverheardmyfatherexpressadoubt；
andIamsatisfiedthat，owingtohisstrongconvictioninfavourofhisbrother，hewouldnothaveadmitteditwithoutsufficientinquiry，inasmuchasittendedtoconfirmthesuspicionswhichalreadyexistedtohisprejudice。
Now，theonlypointinthisletterwhichmadestronglyagainstmyuncle，wasthementionofthe’double-claspedpocket-
book’asthereceptacleofthepaperslikelytoinvolvehim，forthispocket-bookwasnotforthcoming，noranywheretobefound，norhadanypapersreferringtohisgamingtransactionsbeenfounduponthedeadman。However，whatevermighthavebeentheoriginalintentionofthisCollis，neithermyunclenormyfathereverheardmoreofhim；buthepublishedtheletterinFaulkner’snewspaper，whichwasshortlyafterwardsmadethevehicleofamuchmoremysteriousattack。ThepassageinthatperiodicaltowhichIallude，occurredaboutfouryearsafterwards，andwhilethefataloccurrencewasstillfreshinpublicrecollection。Itcommencedbyaramblingpreface，statingthat’aCERTAINPERSON