Then he went on with his task with the grimness of one who takes his last step into ignominy.
We will follow his words as he writes, leaving them for the others to read on their completion.
"I, Carleton Roberts, in face of an inquiry which is about to be held on the death of her who called herself Angeline Willetts, but whose real name is as I have since been told Angeline Duclos, wish to make this statement in connection with the same.
"It was at my hand she died.

I strung the bow and let fly the arrow which killed this unfortunate child.

Not with the intention of finding my mark in her innocent bosom.

She simply got in the way of the woman for whom it was intended--if I really was governed by intent, of which I here declare before God I am by no means sure.
"The child was a stranger to me, but the woman in whose stead she inadvertently perished I had known long and well.

My wrongs to her had been great, but she had kept silence during my whole married life and in my blind confidence in the exemption this seemed to afford me, I put no curb upon my ambition which had already carried me far beyond my deserts.