40
The Unknown Heiiis, on The Contested Inhemtancb.
44 I do," nfllrmcci Stephen.
44 1 saw you looking closely nncl rather
peculiarly ut Mr. Bonnet nnil John Kol
lcy to-day, and coupling that with what I
knew of you, I suspce'ed that you were
Stephen Bennct and were ferreting out
John's plot. Then I am correct? "
44 Yea, Sir," again alllrmed Stephen.
44 Then I will at once proceed to make a
disclosure to you. I will begin with my
Bclf. I was born at Easton, in this State
and lived there until three years ago,
when I came here. I had received con
siderable schooling, but being of a wild
turn, and as little restraint was laid upon
me at home, I gradually plunged into all
kinds of rascality. I have a brother,
Jack, who is older than I, much less edu
cated, and, if anything, worse.
44 One of my bosom friends there was
John Kelley, an orphan, and a son of a
daughter of Mr. Bennct. Ho is, therefore,
your cousin. He often told me of his
grandfather, and wanted very much to be
acknowledged his heir, but the old man
knew too much of him, and John found
this out indirectly. Some five years ago.
he went to Boston but never forgot me,
and about two years later wrote to me,
asking me to comn here and spy on Mr.
Fleming, lie agreed to pay me Ave dol
lars a month and to give me a good slice
of the property, if ever he got possession
of it.
44I came, got a situation in the mansion,
and spied to 1113' utmost, facilitating this
by some of the closets, passage ways, etc
Last March, I overhead a very important
conversation between Mr. Fleming and
his nephew. The old mn relented of his
past conduct and resolved to look up you
and your brother I immediately wrote
to Sohn, who kept a constant, watch on
the mails. He then concocted a scheme
to throw some crime on you, and, by play
ing a part, to work himself Into tho favor
of the old man. as you must be familiar
with the events that transpired at Mere
dlth and vicinity last year, I need say but
little on that point.
"John employed Jack, and kept him
self in the background. Hearinp that
you and your brother were going to Mere
dith for ho kept a watch on you as well
he went to Moultonborough, hired out,
and lived to all appearances blamelessly.
Jack stole the articles which were found
in your cellar and put them there. John
himself warned Mr. Sykes He had
meanwhile caused an article to be insert
ed in a Boston newspaper taken by Mr.
Bennct.
44 It had tho desired ctlcct, yet had it
failed John would have tried a more eflec
tive way, for I had informed him of Mr.
Beimel's weak points, He came, and you
know the rest. The assault upon Mr. Ben.
net in the woods was a part of the scheme.
Jack was tho one who carried Mr. Bennct
to Moultonborough. The case was strong,
cr against you than John intended that it
should bo. He was less particular about
you than your brother, knowing that it
would be all the same in Mr. Beimel's
eyes.
44 1 had wormed myself pretty well into
tho good graces of Mr. Bonnet, and having
behaved well, was thought much of. Kel
ley did not like this at all. It was perhaps
natural, but of course Mr. Bennct knew
nothing of our previous relations. Kelly
at once, though very cautiously, set to
work to get me ousted. At last, Mr. Ben
net was persuaded that it was unnecessa
ry to employ me, and so I was dismissed.
I thought that I would not go to a dis
tance, and so I am staying here on a scun
ty allowance.
44 You may think it strange that he
should treat mo in this way, knowing that
unfair treatmont of me would provoke his
exposure, yet such is the case. I know
that he is restive under the burden that I
have been to him, and wishes that I were
out of his way. As yet, he and Jack are
harmonious, and they keep the other side
of the fence toward me.
44 During the past year, I have been
awakening up to a full sense of tho wick,
edncss of my past life. They suspect
d
!JWWW
