then rang a bell, and I was committed to the charge of the
messenger who answered it; and in a few minutes I was being conveyed in a
cab to my London lodgings. A week afterwards, Tom Morville was sent out
to a post-office in Canada, where he settled down, married, and is still
living, perfectly satisfied with his position, as he occasionally informs
me by letter. For myself, I remained as I desired, in my old post as
travelling-clerk until the death of my mother, which occurred some ten or
twelve months afterwards. I was then promoted to an appointment as a
clerk in charge, upon the first vacancy.

The business of the clerks in charge is to take possession of any
post-office in the kingdom, upon the death or resignation of the
postmaster, or when circumstances of suspicion cause his suspension from
office. My new duties carried me three or four times into Mr.
Huntingdon's district. Though that gentleman and I never exchanged a
word with regard to the mysterious loss in which we had both had an
innocent share, he distinguished me with peculiar favour, and more than
once invited me to visit him at his own house. He lived alone, having
but one daughter, who had married, somewhat against his will, one of his
clerks: the Mr. Forbes whose handwriting had been so successfully
imitated in the official order presented to me by the self-styled Miss
Anne Clifton. (By the way, I may here mention, though it has nothing to
do with my story, that my acquaintance with the Cliftons had ripened into
an intimacy, which resulted in my engagement and marriage to Mary.)

It would be beside my purpose to specify the precise number of years
which elapsed before I was once again summoned to the secretary's private
apartment, where I found him closeted with Mr. Huntingdon. Mr.
Huntingdon shook hands with unofficial cordiality; and then the secretary
proceeded to state the business on hand.

"Mr. Wilcox, you remember our offer to place you in office in
Alexandria?" he said.

"Certainly, sir," I answered.

"It has been a troublesome office," he continued, almost pettishly. "We
sent out Mr. Forbes only six months ago, on account of his health, which
required a warmer climate, and now his medical man reports that his life
is not worth three weeks' purchase."

Upon Mr. Huntingdon's face there rested an expression of profound
anxiety; and as the secretary paused he addressed himself to me.

"Mr. Wilcox," he said, "I have been solicitin