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leave you to judge if that mended matters。 He found me mopping
the poor woman's temples with scent and water； and he would have
pitched me out of the window； as sure as I sit here； if I had not
met him and staggered him at once with the charge of murder
against his wife。 That stopped him when he was in full cry； I can
promise you。 'Go and wait in the next room；' says he； 'and I'll
come in and speak to you directly。' 〃
〃And did you go？〃 I asked。
〃Of course I did；〃 said Mr。 Dark。 〃I knew he couldn't get out by
the drawing…room windows； and I knew I could watch the door； so
away I went； leaving him alone with the lady； who didn't spare
him by any manner of means； as I could easily hear in the next
room。 However； all rows in this world come to an end sooner or
later； and a man with any brains in his head may do what he
pleases with a woman who is fond of him。 Before long I heard her
crying and kissing him。 'I can't go home；' she says； after this。
'You have behaved like a villain and a monster to mebut oh；
Jemmy； I can't give you up to anybody！ Don't go back to your
wife！ Oh； don't； don't go back to your wife！' 'No fear of that；'
says he。 'My wife wouldn't have me if I did go back to her。'
After that I heard the door open； and went out to meet him on the
landing。 He began swearing the moment he saw me； as if that was
any good。 'Business first； if you please； sir；' says I； 'and any
pleasure you like； in the way of swearing； afterward。' With that
beginning； I mentioned our terms to him； and asked the pleasure
of his company to Cumberland in return； he was uncommonly
suspicious at first； but I promised to draw out a legal document
（mere waste paper； of no earthly use except to pacify him）；
engaging to hold him harmless throughout the proceedings； and
what with that； and telling him of the frightful danger his wife
was in； I managed； at last； to carry my point。〃
〃But did the second wife make no objection to his going away with
you？〃 I inquired。
〃Not she；〃 said Mr。 Dark。 〃I stated the case to her just as it
stood； and soon satisfied her that there was no danger of Mr。
James Smith's first wife laying any claim to him。 After hearing
that； she joined me in persuading him to do his duty； and said
she pitied your mistress from the bottom of her heart。 With her
influence to back me； I had no great fear of our man changing his
mind。 I had the door watched that night； however； so as to make
quite sure of him。 The next morning he was ready to time when I
called； and a quarter of an hour after that we were off together
for the north road。 We made the journey with post…horses； being
afraid of chance passengers； you know； in public conveyances。 On
the way down； Mr。 James Smith and I got on as comfortably
together as if we had been a pair of old friends。 I told the
story of our tracing him to the north of Scotland； and he gave me
the particulars； in return； of his bolting from Darrock Hall。
They are rather amusing； William； would you like to hear them？〃
I told Mr。 Dark that he had anticipated the very question I was
about to ask him。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃this is how it was： To begin at the beginning；
our man really took Mrs。 Smith； Number Two； to the Mediterranean；
as we heard。 He sailed up the Spanish coast； and； after short
trips ashore； stopped at a seaside place in France called Cannes。
There he saw a house and grounds to be sold which took his fancy
as a nice retired place to keep Number Two in。 Nothing particular
was wanted but the money to buy it； and； not having the little
amount in his own possession； Mr。 James Smith makes a virtue of
necessity； and goes back overland to his wife with private
designs on her purse…strings。 Number Two； who objects to be left
behind； goes with him as far as London。 There he trumps up the
first story that comes into his head about rents in the country；
and a house in Lincolnshire that is too damp for her to trust
herself in； and so； leaving her for a few days in London； starts
boldly for Darrock Hall。 His notion was to wheedle your mistress
out of the money by good behavior； but it seems he started badly
by quarreling with her about a fiddle…playing parson〃
〃Yes； yes； I know all about that part of the story；〃 I broke in；
seeing by Mr。 Dark's manner that he was likely to speak both
ignorantly and impertinently of my mistress's unlucky friend ship
for Mr。 Meeke。 〃Go on to the time when I left my master alone in
the Red Room； and tell me what he did between midnight and nine
the next morning。〃
〃Did？〃 said Mr。 Dark。 〃Why； he went to bed with the unpleasant
conviction on his mind that your mistress had found him out； and
with no comfort to speak of except what he could get out of the
brandy bottle。 He couldn't sleep； and the more he tossed and
tumbled； the more certain he felt that his wife intended to have
him tried for bigamy。 At last； toward the gray of the morning； he
could stand it no longer； and he made up his mind to give the law
the slip while he had the chance。 As soon as he was dressed； it
struck him that there might be a reward offered for catching him；
and he determined to make that slight change in his personal
appearance which puzzled the witnesses so much before the
magistrate to…day。 So he opens his dressing…case and crops his
hair in no time； and takes off his whiskers next。 The fire was
out； and he had to shave in cold water。 What with that； and what
with the flurry of his mind； naturally enough he cut himself〃
〃And dried the blood with his nightgown？〃 says I。
〃With his nightgown；〃 repeated Mr。 Dark。 〃It was the first thing
that lay handy； and he snatched it up。 Wait a bit； though； the
cream of the thing is to come。 When he had done being his own
barber； he couldn't for the life of him hit on a way of getting
rid of the loose hair。 The fire was out； and he had no matches；
so he couldn't burn it。 As for throwing it away； he didn't dare
do that in the house or about the house； for fear of its being
found； and betraying what he had done。 So he wraps it all up in
paper； crams it into his pocket to be disposed of when he is at a
safe distance from the Hall； takes his bag； gets out at the
window； shuts it softly after him； and makes for the road as fast
as his long legs will carry him。 There he walks on till a coach
overtakes him； and so travels back to London to find himself in a
fresh scrape as soon as be gets there。 An interesting situation；
William； and hard traveling from one end of France to the other；
had not agreed together in the case of Number Two。 Mr。 James
Smith found her in bed； with doctor's orders that she was not to
be moved。 There was nothing for it after that but to lie by in
London till the lady got better。 Luckily for us； she didn't hurry
herself； so that； after all； your mistress has to thank the very
woman who supplanted her for clearing her character by helping us
to find Mr。 James Smith。〃
〃And； pray； how did you come by that loose hair of his which you
showed before the justice to…day？〃 I asked。
〃Thank Number Two again；〃 says Mr。 Dark。 〃I was put up to asking
after it by what she told me。 While we were talking about the
advertisement； I made so bold as to inquire what first set her
thinking that her husband and the Mr。 James Smith whom we wanted
might be one and the same man。 'Nothing；' says she； 'but seeing
him come home with his hair cut short and his whiskers shaved
off； and finding that he could not give me any good reason for
disfiguring himself in that way。 I had my suspicions that
something was wrong； and the sight of your advertisement
strengthened them directly。' The hearing her say that suggested
to my mind that there might be a difficulty in identifying him
after the change in his looks； and I asked him what he had done
with the loose hair before we left London。 It was found in the
pocket of his traveling coat just as he had huddled it up there
on leaving the Hall； worry； and fright； and vexation； having
caused him to forget all about it。 Of course I took charge of the
parcel； and you know what good it did as well as I do。 So to
speak； William； it just completed this beautifully neat case。
Looking at the matter in a professional point of view； I don't
hesitate to say that we have managed our business with Mr。 James
Smith to perfection。 We have produced him at the right time； and
we are going to get rid of him at the right time。 By to…night he
will be on his way to foreign parts with Number Two； and he won't
show his nose in England again if he lives to the age of
Methuselah。〃
It was a relief to hear that and it was almost as great a comfort
to find； from what Mr。 Dark said next； that my mistress need fear
nothing that Josephine could do for the future。
The charge of theft； on which she was about to be tried； did not
afford the shadow of an excuse in law any more than in logic for
alluding to the crime which her master had committed。 If she
meant to talk about it she might do so in her place of
transportation； but she would not have the slightest chance of
being listened to previously in a court of law。
〃In short；〃 said Mr。 Dark； rising to take his leave； 〃as I have
told you already； William； it's checkmate fo