put to his face two or three of the men knew him at once,
and I went up to him. He was pretty well past speaking, but as I stooped
over him he said, 'You have got me this time, Captain Downes, and no
mistake. Well, it don't make much matter; I was getting sick of the
life. You look in the pocket of my jacket when I am gone, and you will
find a letter there. I swore to young Wyatt that I would clear him of
that charge of shooting Faulkner. I shot him myself, and I have put it
all down there.'

"He died a quarter of an hour later, and here is the letter. I am going
to take it over to Colonel Chambers, but I thought you would like to go
with me. Of course, your brother was really cleared of all suspicion,
but it is just as well to have got it under the real man's own hand."

"I am delighted, Captain Downes. When I was told, as I came along, of
the lugger being captured, I hoped that you might possibly have
something like this to tell me, for I had heard, since I came here, that
he was still on board her, and as it was not likely he would risk going
ashore, I thought perhaps you had got him prisoner. But this is better
altogether, for if he had been put on trial for Faulkner's murder, he
would, no doubt, have accused Julian, and though I think the evidence
was strong enough to fix the guilt on the man, there might have been
some who would have believed what he said. Now it will be altogether
cleared up. Though when Julian will be found and brought home is more
than anyone can say."

"Well, we need not trouble about that, lad, just at present. He is
cleared, which is the principal thing, and sooner or later he is sure to
find his way back again."

Frank landed with Captain Downes. Taking a trap they drove to the
magistrate's, where fortunately they found Mr. Henderson, who had gone
up to arrange for the examination of the prisoners. Both were greatly
pleased when, on the letter being opened, it was found to contain a full
confession of the murder, attested by a French magistrate, and
corroborating in every respect the facts contained in Julian's letter,
and as proved by the evidence given at the coroner's inquest. "I will
give this letter to the Weymouth paper to insert," Colonel Chambers
said, "and will send copies to the London papers, with a few lines
recalling the facts of the murder and the proofs that had accumulated of
Markham's share in it, and which show beyond all doubt the _bona-fides_
of the confession."

"