and otherwise, which it was my business to open and answer, his private
correspondence always bearing a mark upon it which distinguished it
from the rest. But this was not all I was expected to do. Having in his
early life been engaged in the tea-trade, he had made more than one
voyage to China, and was consequently much interested in the question
of international communication between that country and our own.
Thinking that in his various visits there, he had learned much which,
if known to the American people, would conduce to our better
understanding of the nation, its peculiarities, and the best manner of
dealing with it, he has been engaged for some time in writing a book on
the subject, which same it has been my business for the last eight
months to assist him in preparing, by writing at his dictation three
hours out of the twenty-four, the last hour being commonly taken from
the evening, say from half-past nine to half-past ten, Mr. Leavenworth
being a very methodical man and accustomed to regulate his own life and
that of those about him with almost mathematical precision."

" You say you were accustomed to write at his dictation evenings?
Did you do this as usual last evening?"

"I did, sir."

"What can you tell us of his manner and appearance at the time?
Were they in any way unusual?"

A frown crossed the secretary's brow.

"As he probably had no premonition of his doom, why should there
have been any change in his manner?"