"
"We are coming to that," rejoined Mr. Balch. "This, as I said, is very
singular; and when I couple it with some other circumstances that have come
to my knowledge, it is more than singular--_it is suspicious_. Here are a
number of houses assaulted by a mob. Two or three days before the assault
takes place, a list in your handwriting, and which is headed, '_Places to
be attacked_,' is found, under circumstances that leave no doubt that it
came directly from you. Well, the same mob that attacks these
places--_marked out by you_--traverse a long distance to reach the house of
your next-door neighbour. They break into it, and kill him; and you, who
are aware at the time that he is your own cousin, do not attempt to
interpose to prevent it, although it can be proved that you were
all-powerful with the marauders. No! you allow him to be destroyed without
an effort to save him, and immediately claim his property. Now, Mr.
Stevens, people disposed to be suspicions--seeing how much you were to be
the gainer by his removal, and knowing you had some connection with this
mob--might not scruple to say that _you_ instigated the attack by which he
lost his life; and I put it to you--now don't you think that, if it was any
one else, you would say that the thing looked suspicious?"
Mr.
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