was well preserved, and the features were well
defined.

The detective examined it closely, and finally asked:

"Is this really and beyond doubt a picture of the grandchild?"

"Yes."

"Her name would be Canfield?"

"Yes."

"She was a child of old Canfield's son?"

"So they said."

"So they said?"

"Yes."

"But wasn't she?"

"Well, I can't say she was or she was not. Old Jake always said it was
his granddaughter, but he was the only one who knew anything about it.
No one else knew that his son left a child; possibly they didn't inquire
into it. I wouldn't have thought of it now myself only I was talking it
over with my old woman, and she said that young Jake Canfield never had
a child. I remembered then that the old woman had always said so."

As stated, the detective had been studying the picture, and on the case
in very small letters he saw printed with a pen and in ink the name
Amalie Stevens. He required his powerful magnifying glass to read it,
but under the glass he made it out. He trembled at the marvelous new
lights that were flashing in on the dark mystery. Here was a chance for
a new theory; a door was opened to account for the possession of the
great fortune in possession of a humble fisherman, and here again was a
partial suggestion as to the secrecy and the twenty-year clause in the
trust, and Jack muttered:

"Oh, that the banker had not lost that letter--how plain everything
would be now! Still we are on the right road, and no doubt after all
that has been revealed I will eventually arrive at a full solution and
clearing up of the whole matter."

Jack made some very close inquiries and learned particulars that
convinced him that he was on the true road, but it was a difficult path
that lay before him, and only a man of his wonderful energy and
hopefulness would have dared to anticipate absolute success.

The detective returned to the city, and at the hour named once again
met Mr. Townsend, and as usual the banker asked:

"Well, Mr. Wonderful, what now?"

"It is wonderful, Mr. Townsend, the strange facts I have secured; but
first see here."

The detective passed the picture over to the banker.

"What is this?"

"A portrait of the heiress at the age of five or six."

"Well, well, you are closing down on facts."

"I am, but to me it is 'yet so near and still so far.' Here is the
picture, but the original was but five or six when that was taken and
she is now a woman of over fort