ex-governess. Captain Snaffle, in a letter to Arthur, gave an account of
the whole transaction, from which it transpired, that, on enquiries
being set on foot respecting Lady Chutny's sudden death, Gopall, the
butler, turned Queen's evidence, and confessed the whole of the
diabolical plot. Datura, a powerful narcotic poison, had been mixed with
the sherbet, this produced delirium, and a quantity of pulverized glass
had been introduced into the food given to the unsuspecting victim,
which produced inflammation of the bowels, and the combined effects of
these caused death. However, the perpetrators of the foul deed
unfortunately managed to escape, by what means the writer did not state.




CHAPTER THE LAST.


Carlton Abbey, the estate of the Earls of Castlemere for centuries back,
was situated near Ollarten, on the borders of Sherwood Forest, in
Nottinghamshire. It was formerly a religious house of the highest order,
largely and richly endowed, whose broad acres ran some distance into
"Merrie Sherwood" itself. It is reported that the renowned Robin Hood,
with a score of his followers, once sought and obtained shelter and
protection there, when pursued by the Sheriff of Nottinghamshire for
slaying the king's deer and other misdemeanors within the limits of the
forest; and later here also took place the celebrated meeting between
Cardinal Woolsey and the Duke of Buckingham, previous to that haughty
prelate's dismissal from royal favor and ultimate disgrace, and on the
death of the Marchioness of Cosingby who, for forty years reigned as the
Lady Abbess, the sisters of this order moved elsewhere, as the property