acade
of the London Safe Deposit the party descended, Mr. Debenham paid the
cabman, and they went down the stone steps into the vaults of the
repository.

There was a brief check whilst Mr. Debenham explained his authority for
the visit, and it was when the officials were making reference to their
books that the party was augmented by the arrival of Poltavo.

He bowed over the girl's hand, holding it a little longer than Frank
could have liked, murmured colourless congratulations and nodded to
Debenham.

"Count Poltavo is here, I may say," explained the lawyer, "by your late
uncle's wishes. They were contained in a letter he wrote to me a few
days before he disappeared."

Frank nodded grudgingly; still he was generous enough to realize
something of this man's feelings if he loved Doris, and he made an
especial effort to be gracious to the new-comer.

A uniformed attendant led them through innumerable corridors till they
came to a private vault guarded by stout bars. The attendant opened
these and they walked into a little stone chamber, illuminated by
overhead lights.

The only article of furniture in the room was a small safe which stood
in one corner. A very small safe indeed, thought Frank, to contain so
large a fortune. The lawyer turned the key in the lock methodically, and
the steel door swung back. The back of Mr. Debenham obscured their view
of the safe's interior. Then he turned with an expression of wonder.

"There is nothing here," he said.

"Nothing!" gasped Doris.

"Save this," said the lawyer.

He took a small envelope and handed it to the girl. She opened it
mechanically and read:

"I have, unfortunately, found it necessary to utilize your fortune for
the furtherance of my plans. You must try and forgive me for this; but I
have given you a greater one than you have lost, a husband."

She looked up.

"What does this mean?" she whispered.

Frank took the letter from her hand and concluded the reading.

"A husband in Frank Doughton...."

The words swam before his eyes.

"And Frank Doughton is the heir to the Tollington millions, as his
father was before him. All the necessary proofs to establish his
identity will be discovered in the sealed envelope which the lawyer
holds, and which is inscribed 'C.'"

The letter was signed "Gregory Farrington."

The lawyer was the first to recover his self-possession; his practical
mind went straight to the business at hand.

"There is such an en