nt
lived very much the life of a recluse. It is with great sorrow that we
record the above, as it was fully hoped and believed that he would not
only have a very distinguished future, but that he would have been of
great value to his country."

Leicester threw down the paper.

"Good," he said; "everything is turning out exactly as I thought."

He read the other papers, and found that each gave very nearly the same
version. One moralised at some length on the sad end of the deceased,
and enlarged on the evils of drinking.

It was a strange experience, this reading of his own obituary notices,
but it agreed with his mood. He had not enjoyed himself so much for a
long time.

He did not leave the house. He determined to do nothing which might
shake any one's belief in the farce that was being played. He would see
the mockery out to the bitter end. This was not long in coming. The
inquest was held without delay, and the early impressions were
confirmed. It was a case of circumstantial evidence. Radford Leicester
had hinted at suicide to the proprietor of the Red Lion Hotel, Taviton.
Since that time he had not been seen alive by any who had previously
known him. He had also left Taviton in disgrace, his political career
being blighted, while it was commonly believed that Miss Castlemaine had
refused to marry him because she had discovered something disgraceful in
his life. His drinking habits were known to many. Therefore, when a body
was discovered, and on it two proofs of its identity, the jury could
come to no other conclusion than they did.

Moreover, a strange coincidence took place at the inquest. The solicitor
of Radford Leicester appeared, bearing a document signed by the said
Radford Leicester, stating his desire that, in the event of his death,
his property should be allowed to accumulate for ten years from the date
of his decease, and should then be given to Guy's Hospital. This
solicitor was an old man of the name of Mr. Flipp, an exceedingly
eccentric but a much respected member of the profession nevertheless.

Accordingly a verdict of suicide while in an unsound condition of mind
was brought in; and orders were given that the body should be buried,
the expenses to be paid out of the deceased gentleman's estate.

Leicester went to the funeral. Mr. Flipp was there, together with
Winfield and two or three others with whom he had been on terms of
intimacy. He had so disguised himself that no suspicion was a