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This vexatious affair was； in fact； finally settled about the time of Harry's marriage； and； thanks to the disclosures of Stebbins； it was no longer a difficult matter to unravel the plot。 As soon as William Stanley's representative； or in other words； Hopgood； found that Stebbins had betrayed him； he ran off； but was arrested shortly after； tried and convicted。 He was no sooner sentenced； than he offered to answer any questions that might be asked； for he was anxious that his accomplice； Clappwho had also taken flight； and succeeded in eluding all pursuitshould be punished as well as himself。 It appeared that his resemblance to the Stanleys was the first cause of his taking the name of William Stanley； he was distantly related to them through his mother； and； as we may often observe； the family likeness； after having been partially lost for one or two generations； had appeared quite strongly again in himself； and as usual； the peculiarities of the resemblance had become more deeply marked as he grew older。 Being very nearly of the same age； and of the same pursuit as William Stanley； he had actually been taken for the young man on several occasions。 He had been in the same lawyer's office as Clapp； whom he had known as a boy； and had always kept up some intercourse with him； meeting him one day accidentally； he related the fact of his having passed himself off for William Stanley by way of a joke。 〃The sight of means to do ill deeds； makes deeds ill done：〃 Clapp seemed from that moment to have first taken the idea of the plot； he gradually disclosed his plan to Hopgood； who was quick…witted； a good mimic； and quite clever enough for the purpose。 The idea was repeatedly abandoned； then resumed again； Hopgood having purposely shipped under the name of William Stanley； several times； and practised an imitation of William Stanley's hand by way of an experiment。 Finding no difficulties in these first steps； they gradually grew bolder； collecting information about the Stanleys； and carefully arranging all the details。 Stebbins had frightened them on one occasion； but after having obtained possession of the papers in his hands； Clapp determined to carry out their plan at once； he thought the probability of success was strongly in their favour； with so much evidence within their reach； and the spoils were so considerable； that they were in his opinion worth the risk。 The profits of their roguery were to be equally divided； if they succeeded； and they had also agreed that if at any moment matters began to look badly； they would make their escape from the country together。 Hopgood； who was generally supposed by those who had known him； to have died at New Orleans twenty years since； had been often with William Stanley when a lad in the lawyer's office； he knew the house and neighbourhood of Greatwood perfectly； and had a distinct recollection of Mr。 Stanley； the father； and of many persons and circumstances that would prove very useful。 Clapp easily obtained other necessary information； and they went to Greatwood； examining the whole house and place； in order to revive Hopgood's recollections； while at the same time they made but little mystery of their excursion； hoping rather that when discovered it would pass off as a natural visit of William Stanley to the old home which he was about to claim。 The whole plan was carefully matured under Clapp's cunning management； on some doubtful points they were to be cautious； and a set of signals were agreed upon for moments of difficulty； but generally they were to assume a bold； confident aspect； freely offering an interview to the executors； and sending a specimen of the forged handwriting as a letter to Mrs。 Stanley。 The volume of the Spectator was a thought of Clapp's； he bribed a boy to admit him into the library at Greatwood one Sunday； when the housekeeper was at church； and he selected the volume which seemed well suited to his purpose； removing the boy from the neighbourhood immediately after； by giving him high wages in a distant part of the country。 As for Mr。 Reed he was completely their dupe； having been himself honestly convinced of the identity of Clapp's client。 It was nine years from the time the plot first suggested itself； until they finally appeared as public claimants of the estate and name of William Stanley； and during that time； Clapp； who had never entirely abandoned the idea； although Hopgood had repeatedly done so； had been able to mature the plan very thoroughly。
｛〃'The sight of means to do ill deeds。。。'〃 Shakespeare； 〃King John〃； IV。ii。219…220｝
The declarations of Stebbins and Hopgood were easily proved； and Harry had no further difficulty in resuming possession of Greatwood。
Clapp was not heard of for years。 His wife； little Willie； and two younger children； became inmates of the old grey cottage； under the care of Miss Patsey； who still continues the same honest； whole…souled； benevolent being she was years ago。 Patsey was now quite at her ease； and enabled to provide for her sister Kate and the three children； and it was to poor Charlie she owed the means of doing so； by an unusual precaution in one so young； he had left a will； giving everything he owned to his mother and eldest sister。 Shortly after his death； some of his friends； Hazlehurst among the number； got up an exhibition of all his pictures； they made a fine and quite numerous collection； for Charlie had painted very rapidly。 The melancholy interest connected with the young painter's name； his high reputation in the particular field he had chosen； the fact that all his paintings were collected together； from the first view of Chewattan lake taken when a mere boy； to the sketch of Nantucket which he was retouching but a moment before his death； and the sad recollection that his palette was now broken for ever； attracted unusual attention。 The result of that melancholy exhibition； with the sale of some remaining pictures； proved sufficient to place his mother and sister； with their moderate views； in very comfortable circumstances； thus even after his death Charlie proved a blessing to his family。 In looking over the young man's papers； Patsey found some lines which surprised her； although they explained several circumstances which she had never before fully understood； they betrayed a secret； undeclared attachment； which had expressed itself simply and gracefully in verses full of feeling and well written。 It was evident from these lines that poor Charlie's poetical imagination； even from early boyhood； had been filled with the lovely image of his young companion； Jane Graham： there was a beautiful sketch of her face among his papers； which from the date； must have been taken from memory while she was in Paris。 It was clear from the tone of the verses； that Charlie had scrupulously confined his secret within his own bosom； for there were a few lines addressed to Jane since her widowhood； lamenting that grief should so soon have thrown a shadow over that lovely head； and concluding with a fear that she would little value even this expression of sympathy from one； to whom she had only given careless indifference； and one who had never asked more than the friendship of early companionship。 Patsey hesitated for a moment； but then decided that the miniature and the verses should never be shownthey should meet no eyes but her own； Charlie had not spoken himself； his secret should remain untold。
We must not omit to mention； that a few weeks after Charlie's death young Van Horne offered himself to Mary Hubbard； the youngest daughter of the family； he was accepted； and the connexion； which was very gratifying to Patsey and her mother； proved a happy one。 Mrs。 Hubbard survived her daughter's marriage several years。 Kate and her little ones have remained at the old grey cottage from the time of Clapp's flight； the children are now growing up promising young people； and they owe much to Patsey's judicious care。 Willie； the hero of the temperance meeting； is her favourite； for she persuades herself that he is like her lost Charlie； and in many respects the boy happily resembles his uncle far more than his father。 Last year Mrs。 Clapp received for the first time； a letter in a handwriting very like that of her husband； its contents seemed distressing； for she wept much； and held several consultations with Patsey。 At length quite a little sum was drawn from their modest means； Kate packed up her trunk； took leave of her sister and children； and set out upon a long and a solitary journey。 She was absent for months； but letters were occasionally received from her； and at length she returned to the grey cottage in deep mourning。 It was supposed that she was now a widow； and as Patsey upon one single occasion confirmed the report； the opinion must have been correct； for Patsey Hubbard's word was truth itself。 No public account of Clapp's death； however； reached Longbridge； and his name was never mentioned by the Hubbards； still； it seemed to be known at last that Mrs。 Clapp had gone to a great distance； to attend her husband during a long and fatal illness： and Mrs。 Tibbs also found out by indefatigable inquiries； far and near； that about the same time one of the elders of Joe Smith； the Mormon impostor； had died of con