weird-looking man--in old
clothes, high boots with red Jersey mud on them, and a broad-brimmed
slouch hat. As the figure stepped forth Mr. Townsend leaped from his
chair with a wild cry and glared with bulging eyes--glared like one
fearing a figure from the grave--and indeed, to all appearances it was
veritably a figure from the grave; and during this almost tragic and
really dramatic and startling scene Jack Alvarez, the detective, sat
cool and unperturbed, and finally remarked:

"I knew there was some one in that room, Mr. Townsend. Who is this man?"

Mr. Townsend was indeed a strong-nerved man, and after a moment he
recovered from the first shock of surprise and said:

"It is the dead come to accuse me for my negligence."

"The dead come to accuse you for negligence?"

"Yes."

"I do not understand."

"Mr. Alvarez, there stands the man who can name the owner of the fortune
which I have held in trust for forty years--yes, there stands the man
who confided the great fortune to my keeping."

"You recognize the man?"

"I do."

"Then question him."

Mr. Townsend, in a singularly firm voice, considering the circumstances,
said:

"My good friend, you must forgive me. I lost your letter, but I have
held the trust sacred, and I am prepared to surrender it to you with
accumulated interest; but tell me why did you wait all these years and
not come and claim the money?"

In a perfectly natural voice the strange "appearance" said:

"I left a letter with you."

"It is true; I tell you I lost the letter, but now I will gladly
surrender the fortune."

"Then you recognize me?"

"I do."

"Beyond all question?"

"Yes, beyond all question."

"I will not have to prove my identity?"

"You will not."

"Remember, forty years have elapsed."

"I would recognize you if a thousand years had elapsed. You appear to me
to-day just as you looked forty years ago. I was a young man then; I
have grown old, but you do not appear to have aged at all."

"And you are prepared to surrender the fortune?"

"I am."

"I only have to say, sir, that I can prove how easy it is for a man to
be deceived."

With the above words, Gil Alvarez cast aside his disguise and stood
revealed, presenting his wonderful resemblance to his twin brother.

Mr. Townsend recoiled in greater amazement than he did while under the
first belief that he had been confronted by a visitant from the grave. A
few seconds he gazed and then said:

"Wait