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My object was to gain time enough； in this way； to read the
letter carefully through by myself； and to ascertain whether I
ought or ought not to keep the receipt of it a secret before I
confronted my husband and his mother at home。
This precaution taken； I read the narrative which my good
Benjamin had so wisely and so thoughtfully written for me。
Treating the various incidents methodically； he began with the
Report which had arrived； in due course of mail； from our agent
in America。
Our man had successfully traced the lodgekeeper's daughter and
her husband to a small town in one of the Western States。 Mr。
Playmore's letter of introduction at once secured him a cordial
reception from the married pair； and a patient hearing when he
stated the object of his voyage across the Atlantic。
His first questions led to no very encouraging results。 The woman
was confused and surprised； and was apparently quite unable to
exert her memory to any useful purpose。 Fortunately； her husband
proved to be a very intelligent man。 He took the agent privately
aside； and said to him； 〃I understand my wife； and you don't。
Tell me exactly what it is you want to know； and leave it to me
to discover how much she remembers and how much she forgets。〃
This sensible suggestion was readily accepted。 The agent waited
for events a day and a night。
Early the next morning the husband said to him； 〃Talk to my wife
now； and you'll find she has something to tell you。 Only mind
this。 Don't laugh at her when she speaks of trifles。 She is half
ashamed to speak of trifles； even to me。 Thinks men are above
such matters； you know。 Listen quietly； and let her talkand you
will get at it all in that way。〃
The agent followed his instructions； and 〃got at it〃 as follows：
The woman remembered； perfectly well； being sent to clean the
bedrooms and put them tidy； after the gentlefolks had all left
Gleninch。 Her mother had a bad hip at the time； and could not go
with her and help her。 She did not much fancy being alone in the
great house； after what had happened in it。 On her way to her
work she passed two of the cottagers' children in the
neighborhood at play in the park。 Mr。 Macallan was always kind to
his poor tenants； and never objected to the young ones round
about having a run on the grass。 The two children idly followed
her to the house。 She took them inside； along with hernot
liking the place； as already mentioned； and feeling that they
would be company in the solitary rooms。
She began her work in the Guests' Corridorleaving the room in
the other corridor； in which the death had happened； to the last。
There was very little to do in the two first rooms。 There was not
litter enough； when she had swept the floors and cleaned the
grates； to even half fill the housemaid's bucket which she
carried with her。 The children followed her about； and； all
things considered； were 〃very good company〃 in the lonely place。
The third room （that is to say； the bedchamber which had been
occupied by Miserrimus Dexter was in a much worse state than the
other two； and wanted a great deal of tidying。 She did not much
notice the children here； being occupied with her work。 The
litter was swept up from the carpet； and the cinders and ashes
were taken out of the grate； and the whole of it was in the
bucket； when her attention was recalled to the children by
hearing one of them cry。
She looked about the room without at first discovering them。
A fresh outburst of crying led her in the right direction； and
showed her the children under a table in a corner of the room。
The youngest of the two had got into a waste…paper basket。 The
eldest had found an old bottle of gum； with a brush fixed in the
cork； and was gravely painting the face of the smaller child with
what little remained of the contents of the bottle。 Some natural
struggles； on the part of the little creature； had ended in the
overthrow of the basket； and the usual outburst of crying had
followed as a matter of course。
In this state of things the remedy was soon applied。 The woman
took the bottle away from the eldest child； and gave it a 〃box on
the ear。〃 The younger one she set on its legs again； and she put
the two 〃in the corner〃 to keep them quiet。 This done； she swept
up such fragments of the torn paper in the basket as had fallen
on the floor； threw them back again into the basket； along with
the gum…bottle； fetched the bucket； and emptied the basket into
it； and then proceeded to the fourth and last room in the
corridor； where she finished her work for that day。
Leaving the house； with the children after her； she took the
filled bucket to the dust…heap； and emptied it in a hollow place
among the rubbish； about half…way up the mound。 Then she took the
children home； and there was an end of it for the day。
Such was the result of the appeal made to the woman's memory of
domestic events at Gleninch。
The conclusion at which Mr。 Playmore arrived； from the facts
submitted to him； was that the chances were now decidedly in
favor of the recovery of the letter。 Thrown in； nearly midway
between the contents of the housemaid's bucket； the torn morsels
would be protected above as well as below； when they were emptied
on the dust…heap。
Succeeding weeks and months would add to that protection； by
adding to the accumulated refuse。 In the neglected condition of
the grounds； the dust…heap had not been disturbed in search of
manure。 There it had stood； untouched； from the time when the
family left Gleninch to the present day。 And there； hidden deep
somewhere in the mound； the fragments of the letter must be。
Such were the lawyer's conclusions。 He had written immediately to
communicate them to Benjamin。 And； thereupon； what had Benjamin
done？
After having tried his powers of reconstruction on his own
correspondence； the prospect of experimenting on the mysterious
letter itself had proved to be a temptation too powerful for the
old man to resist。 〃I almost fancy； my dear； this business of
yours has bewitched me；〃 he wrote。 〃You see I have the misfortune
to be an idle man。 I have time to spare and money to spare。 And
the end of it is that I am here at Gleninch； engaged on my own
sole responsibility （with good Mr。 Playmore's permission） in
searching the dust…heap！〃
Benjamin's description of his first view of the field of action
at Gleninch followed these characteristic lines of apology。
I passed over the description without ceremony。 My remembrance of
the scene was too vivid to require any prompting of that sort。 I
saw again； in the dim evening light； the unsightly mound which
had so strangely attracted my attention at Gleninch。 I heard
again the words in which Mr。 Playmore had explained to me the
custom of the dust…heap in Scotch country…houses。 What had
Benjamin and Mr。 Playmore done？ What had Benjamin and Mr。
Playmore found？ For me； the true interest of the narrative was
thereand to that portion of it I eagerly turned next。
They had proceeded methodically； of course； with one eye on the
pounds； shillings； and pence； and the other on the object in
view。 In Benjamin； the lawyer had found what he had not met with
in mea sympathetic mind； alive to the value of 〃an abstract of
the expenses；〃 and conscious of that most remunerative of human
virtues； the virtue of economy。
At so much a week； they had engaged men to dig into the mound and
to sift the ashes。 At so much a week； they had hired a tent to
shelter the open dust…heap from wind and weather。 At so much a
week； they had engaged the services of a young man （pers onally
known to Benjamin）； who was employed in a laboratory under a
professor of chemistry； and who had distinguished himself by his
skillful manipulation of paper in a recent case of forgery on a
well…known London firm。 Armed with these preparations； they had
begun the work； Benjamin and the young chemist living at
Gleninch； and taking it in turns to superintend the proceedings。
Three days of labor with the spade and the sieve produced no
results of the slightest importance。 However； the matter was in
the hands of two quietly determined men。 They declined to be
discouraged。 They went on。
On the fourth day the first morsels of paper were found。
Upon examination； they proved to be the fragments of a
tradesman's prospectus。 Nothing dismayed； Benjamin and the young
chemist still persevered。 At the end of the day's work more
pieces of paper were turned up。 These proved to be covered with
written characters。 Mr。 Playmore （arriving at Gleninch； as usual；
every evening on the conclusion of his labors in the law） was
consulted as to the handwriting。 After careful examination； he
declared that the mutilated portions of sentences submitted to
him had been written； beyond all doubt； by Eustace Macallan's
first wife！
This discovery aroused the enthusiasm of the searchers to fever
height。
Spades and sieves were from that moment forbidden utensils。
However unpleasant the task might be； hands alone were used in
the further examination of the mound。 The first and foremost
necessity was to place the morsels of paper （in flat cardboard
boxes prepared for the purpose） in their