but it had never been out of her pocket till that time. She tells you
that before this, upon the same Saturday morning, she had been in her
master's room about seven o'clock to carry him something to drink, and
when he had drank it she said to him, "Sir, I have something to
communicate to you which nearly concerns your health and your family,
I believe you have got something in your water gruel that I am afraid
has hurt you, and I believe Miss Blandy put it in by her coming into
the wash-house on Monday and saying that she had been stirring her
papa's water gruel and eating the oatmeal out of it." Upon which he
said, "I find I have something not right. My head is not right as it
used to be, nor has been for some time." This witness told him that
she had found a powder in the pan, upon which he said to her, "Dost
thee know anything of this powder? Didst thee ever see any of it?" To
which she answered, "No, none but what she saw in the water gruel." He
then asked her, "Dost know where she had this powder, or canst guess?"
To which she replied, "I cannot guess anywhere, except from Mr.
Cranstoun. My reason to suspect that is, Miss Blandy has lately had
letters oftener than usual." Her master then said, "Now you mention
it, I remember when he was at my house he talked of a particular
poison they had in his country. Oh! that villain, that ever he came
into my house." She likewise told him that she had shown the powder to
Mr. Norton, but he could not tell what it was, as it was wet, but
whatever it was it ought not to be there. Her master expressed some
surprise, and said, "Mr. Norton not know! That's strange. A person so
much used to drugs." She told him Mr. Norton thought it would be
proper for him (her father) to seize her pockets with her keys and
papers. To which he said, "I cannot do it; I cannot shock her so much.
But canst not thee take out a letter or two which she may think she
has dropped by chance?" The witness told him, "No, sir, I have no
right; she is your daughter. You may do it, and nobody else." She