Page:Adventures of Susan Hopley (Volume 1).pdf/79

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SUSAN HOPLEY.

found a leathern purse containing a few shillings, and a silver watch, which Susan recognized as belonging to her brother. No clothes were found in the room but one stocking, which lay near the window, and appeared to have been dropped. The window was open, and as the room was on the ground floor, there was every reason to conclude he had escaped that way. At the door of his bed-room were found his boots, which the man, whose office it was to clean them, said, he had taken away the night before, and placed there himself in the morning.

But the strongest circumstance against Andrew was a letter found on the table in his room, addressed to A. B., Post-office, Maningtree, and which ran as follows:

"All's right—house full—no bed to be had but Mr. Smith's—sky as black as hell. I must eut till after dark. At eight o'clock I'll be hanging about the Checquers—word, How far to London?"

The letter was written in a good clerk-like hand, and well spelt.

This circumstance led to inquiries of the waiter as to who had engaged and given up Mr. Smith's bed; but he could give no information on the subject. He believed it to be