This letter stated that his brother, Sir
Arthur, was likely to incur not merely suspicion but personal risk,
unless he could account for certain circumstances connected with
the recent murder, and contained a copy of a letter written by the
deceased, and dated the very day upon the night of which the murder
had been perpetrated. Tisdall's letter contained, among a great deal
of other matter, the passages which follow:--
"I have had sharp work with Sir Arthur: he tried some of his stale
tricks, but soon found that _I_ was Yorkshire, too; it would not
do--you understand me. We went to the work like good ones, head,
heart, and soul; and in fact, since I came here, I have lost no time.
I am rather fagged, but I am sure to be well paid for my hardship; I
never want sleep so long as I can have the music of a dice-box, and
wherewithal to pay the piper. As I told you, he tried some of his
queer turns, but I foiled him like a man, and, in return, gave him
more than he could relish of the genuine _dead knowledge_. In short,
I have plucked the old baronet as never baronet was plucked before; I
have scarce left him the stump of a quill. I have got promissory notes
in his hand to the amount of ----; if you like round numbers, say
five-and-twenty thousand pounds, safely deposited in my portable
strong box, alias, double-clasped pocket-book.
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