"I dreamed that my brother Hart was at Trebodwina Market, and that I was with him, quite close by his side, during the whole of the market transactions. Although I could see and hear everything which passed around me, I felt sure that it was not my bodily presence which thus accompanied him, but my shadow, or rather my spiritual self, for he seemed quite unconscious that I was near him."

"I felt that my being thus present in this strange way betokened some hidden danger which he was destined to meet, and which I knew my presence could not avert, for I could not speak to warn him of his peril...."

"[Brother having collected a considerable sum of money then started on his ride homeward.] My terror gradually increased as Hart approached the hamlet of Polkerrow, until I was in a perfect frenzy, frantically desirous, yet unable, to warn my brother in some way and prevent him going further...."

"I suddenly became aware of two dark shadows thrown across the road.... Two men appeared whom I instantly recognized as notorious poachers, who lived in a lonely wood near St. Eglos.... The men wished him 'Good Evening, maister,' civilly enough.... He replied and entered into conversation with them about some work he had promised them."

"After a few minutes they asked him for some money.... The elder of the two brothers, who was standing near the horse's head, said:

"'Mr. Northey, we know you have just come from Trebodwina Market with plenty of money in your pockets, we are desperate men, and you bean't going to leave this place until we've got that money; so hand over.'"

"My brother made no reply, except to slash at him with whip and spur the horse at him."

"The younger of the ruffians instantly drew a pistol and fired. Hart dropped lifeless from the saddle, and one of the villains held him by the throat with a grip of iron for some minutes, as though to make assurance doubley sure, and crush out any particle of life my poor brother might have left."

"The murderers secured the horse to a tree in the orchard, and, having rifled the corpse, they dragged it up the steam, concealing it under the overhanging banks of the water-course. They then carefully covered over all marks of blood on the road, and hid the pistol in the thatch of a disused hut close to the roadside; then, setting the horse free to gallop home alone, they decamped across the country to their own cottage."

The next day George's ship left port a St. Helena bound for Plymouth. On the voyage back home George was constantly plagued with the thoughts of his brother's murder. He felt sure he had seen all of the gruesome details of this murder in his dream. Upon his arrival back he learned his brother had indeed been murdered on the very night of his dream.

There were two suspects, brothers as well named Hightwood. The evidence against them was circumstantial. When their cottage was searched only a few blood-stained garments was found. The murder weapon, in this case a pistol was missing. None the less both brothers behaved as if they were guilty and were brought before the magistrates. The magistrates ordered them to be tried at Trebodwina.

Each man confessed in hopes of a plea bargain, but was sentenced to be hung. The doubt about the pistol still hung in the air. When George arrived he claimed, "I saw the foul deed committed in a dream which I had the night of the murder." George then disclosed the whereabouts of the pistol. The pistol was found in a cottage next to where Hart was murdered. The guilty Hightwood brothers had hidden it there after "the foul deed."