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which your master left this house； and you also know； I have no
doubt； that no direct news of him has reached your mistress up to
this time？〃
I bowed to him and said I knew of the circumstances so far。
〃Do you remember；〃 he went on； 〃taking a letter to your mistress
five days ago？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 I replied； 〃a letter which seemed to distress and
alarm her very seriously。〃
〃I will read you that letter before we say any more；〃 continued
the lawyer。 〃I warn you beforehand that it contains a terrible
charge against your master； which； however； is not attested by
the writer's signature。 I have already told your mistress that
she must not attach too much importance to an anonymous letter；
and I now tell you the same thing。〃
Saying that； he took up a letter from the table and read it
aloud。 I had a copy of it given to me afterward； which I looked
at often enough to fix the contents of the letter in my memory。 I
can now repeat them； I think； word for word。
〃MADAMI cannot reconcile it to my conscience to leave you in
total ignorance of your husband 's atrocious conduct toward you。
If you have ever been disposed to regret his absence do so no
longer。 Hope and pray； rather； that you and he may never meet
face to face again in this world。 I write in great haste and in
great fear of being observed。 Time fails me to prepare you as you
ought to be prepared for what I have now to disclose。 I must tell
you plainly； with much respect for you and sorrow for your
misfortune； that your husband _has married another wife_。 I saw
the ceremony performed； unknown to him。 If I could not have
spoken of this infamous act as an eye…witness； I would not have
spoken of it at all。
〃I dare not acknowledge who I am； for I believe Mr。 James Smith
would stick at no crime to revenge himself on me if he ever came
to a knowledge of the step I am now taking； and of the means by
which I got my information； neither have I time to enter into
particulars。 I simply warn you of what has happened； and leave
you to act on that warning as you please。 You may disbelieve this
letter； because it is not signed by any name。 In that case； if
Mr。 James Smith should ever venture into your presence； I
recommend you to ask him suddenly what he has done with his _new
wife；_ and to see if his countenance does not immediately testify
that the truth has been spoken by
〃YOUR UNKNOWN FRIEND。〃
Poor as my opinion was of my master； I had never believed him to
be capable of such villainy as this； and I could not believe it
when the lawyer had done reading the letter。
〃Oh； sir；〃 I said； 〃surely that is some base imposition？ Surely
it cannot be true？〃
〃That is what I have told your mistress；〃 he answered。 〃But she
says in return〃
〃That I feel it to be true；〃 my mistress broke in； speaking
behind the handkerchief in a faint； smothered voice。
〃We need not debate the question；〃 the lawyer went on。 〃Our
business now is to prove the truth or falsehood of this letter。
That must be done at once。 I have written to one of my clerks；
who is accustomed to conducting delicate investigations； to come
to this house without loss of time。 He is to be trusted with
anything； and he will pursue the needful inquiries immediately。
It is absolutely necessary； to make sure of committing no
mistakes； that he should be accompanied by some one who is well
acquainted with Mr。 James Smith's habits and personal appearance；
and your mistress has fixed upon you to be that person。 However
well the inquiry is managed； it may be attended by much trouble
and delay； may necessitate a long journey； and may involve some
personal danger。 Are you；〃 said the lawyer； looking hard at me；
〃ready to suffer any inconvenience and to run any risk for your
mistress's sake？〃
〃There is nothing I _can_ do； sir；〃 said I； 〃that I will not do。
I am a fraid I am not clever enough to be of much use； but； so
far as troubles and risks are concerned； I am ready for anything
from this moment。〃
My mistress took the handkerchief from her face； looked at me
with her eyes full of tears； and held out her hand。 How I came to
do it I don't know； but I stooped down and kissed the hand she
offered me； feeling half startled； half ashamed at my own
boldness the moment after。
〃You will do； my man；〃 said the lawyer； nodding his head。 〃Don't
trouble yourself about the cleverness or the cunning that may be
wanted。 My clerk has got head enough for two。 I have only one
word more to say before you go downstairs again。 Remember that
this investigation and the cause that leads to it must be kept a
profound secret。 Except us three； and the clergyman here （to whom
your mistress has written word of what has happened）； nobody
knows anything about it。 I will let my clerk into the secret when
he joins us。 As soon as you and he are away from the house； you
may talk about it。 Until then； you will close your lips on the
subject。〃
The clerk did not keep us long waiting。 He came as fast as the
mail from London could bring him。
I had expected； from his master's description； to see a serious；
sedate man； rather sly in his looks； and rather reserved in his
manner。 To my amazement； this practiced hand at delicate
investigations was a brisk； plump； jolly little man； with a
comfortable double chin； a pair of very bright black eyes； and a
big bottle…nose of the true groggy red color。 He wore a suit of
black； and a limp； dingy white cravat； took snuff perpetually out
of a very large box； walked with his hands crossed behind his
back； and looked； upon the whole； much more like a parson of
free…and…easy habits than a lawyer's clerk。
〃How d'ye do？〃 says he； when I opened the door to him。 〃I'm the
man you expect from the office in London。 Just say Mr。 Dark； will
you？ I'll sit down here till you come back； and； young man； if
there is such a thing as a glass of ale in the house； I don't
mind committing myself so far as to say that I'll drink it。〃
I got him the ale before I announced him。 He winked at me as he
put it to his lips。
〃Your good health；〃 says he。 〃I like you。 Don't forget that the
name's Dark； and just leave the jug and glass； will you； in case
my master keeps me waiting。〃
I announced him at once； and was told to show him into the
library。
When I got back to the hall the jug was empty； and Mr。 Dark was
comforting himself with a pinch of snuff； snorting over it like a
perfect grampus。 He had swallowed more than a pint of the
strongest old ale in the house； and； for all the effect it seemed
to have had on him； he might just as well have been drinking so
much water。
As I led him along the passage to the library Josephine passed
us。 Mr。 Dark winked at me again； and made her a low bow。
〃Lady's maid；〃 I heard him whisper to himself。 〃A fine woman to
look at； but a damned bad one to deal with。〃 I turned round on
him； rather angry at his cool ways； and looked hard at him just
before I opened the library door。 Mr。 Dark looked hard at me。
〃All right；〃 says he。 〃I can show myself in。〃 And he knocks at
the door； and opens it； and goes in with another wicked wink； all
in a moment。
Half an hour later the bell rang for me。 Mr。 Dark was sitting
between my mistress （who was looking at him in amazement） and the
lawyer （who was looking at him with approval）。 He had a map open
on his knee； and a pen in his hand。 Judging by his face； the
communication of the secret about my master did not seem to have
made the smallest impression on him。
〃I've got leave to ask you a question；〃 says he； the moment I
appeared。 〃When you found your master's yacht gone； did you hear
which way she had sailed？ Was it northward toward Scotland？ Speak
up； young man； speak up！〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered。 〃The boatmen told me that when I made
inquiries at the harbor。〃
〃Well； sir；〃 says Mr。 Dark； turning to the lawyer； 〃if he said he
was going to Sweden； he seems to have started on the road to it；
at all events。 I think I have got my instructions now？〃
The lawyer nodded； and looked at my mistress； who bowed her head
to him。 He then said； turning to me：
〃Pack up your bag for traveling at once； and have a conveyance
got ready to go to the nearest post…town。 Look sharp； young
manlook sharp！〃
〃And； whatever happens in the future；〃 added my mistress； her
kind voice trembling a little； 〃believe； William； that I shall
never forget the proof you now show of your devotion to me。 It is
still some comfort to know that I have your fidelity to depend on
in this dreadful trialyour fidelity and the extraordinary
intelligence and experience of Mr。 Dark。〃
Mr。 Dark did not seem to hear the compliment。 He was busy
writing； with his paper upon the map on his knee。
A quarter of an hour later； when I had ordered the dog…cart； and
had got down into the hall with my bag packed； I found him there
waiting for me。 He was sitting in the same chair which he had
occupied when he first arrived； and he had another jug of the old
ale on the table by his side。
〃Got any fishing…rods in the house？〃 says he； when I put my bag
down in the hall。
〃Yes；〃 I replied； astonished at the question。 〃What do you want
with them？〃
〃Pack a couple in cases for traveling；〃 says