A lift of the hand, whether in deprecation or appeal I could not say, was all the answer this received. I saw that I must speak with the utmost directness.
"This account was in the shape of a letter on several sheets of paper. These sheets were very old, and were torn as well as discolored. I had them in my hand and noticed that a piece was lacking from one of them. Mrs. Ocumpaugh, are you ready to repeat that Mrs. Carew did not receive this old letter from you or obtain it in any way you know of from the house we are now in?"
"I had rather not be forced to contradict Mrs. Carew," was the low reply; "but in justice to you I must acknowledge that I hear of this letter for the first time. God grant--but what can any old letter have to do with the agonizing question before us? I am not strong, Mr. Trevitt--I am suffering--do not confuse and burden me, I pray--"
"Pardon, I am not saying one unnecessary word. These old sheets--a secret from the family--did not come from this house. Whence, then, did they come into Mrs. Carew's possession? I see you have forestalled my answer; and if you will now glance at this end of paper, picked up by me in your presence from the cellar floor across which we both know that her footsteps have passed, you will see that it is a proof capable of convicting her of the fact."
I held out the scrap I now took from my pocket.
Mrs. Ocumpaugh's hand refused to take it or her eyes to consult it.
"Pray read the few words you will find there," I urged. "They are in explanation of the document itself, but they will serve to convince you that the letter to which they were attached, and which is now in Mrs. Carew's hands, came from that decaying room."
"No, no!" The gesture which accompanied this exclamation was more than one of refusal, it was that of repulse. "I can not see--I do not need to--I am convinced."
"Pardon me, but that is not enough, Mrs. Ocumpaugh. I want you to be certain. Let me read these words. The story they prefaced is unknown to you; let it remain so; all I need to tell you about it is this: that it was written by Mr. Ocumpaugh's father--he who raised this partition and who is the undoubted author of these lines. Remember that they headed the letter: