o secrets in it." And Dick passed
the letter over to Humphreys.

"Phew!" whistled the Doctor, when he had read the letter twice--from the
date to the signature; "that sounds pretty bad. You had better be off
at once, and get at the rights of the thing. And when you have done
so-- By the way, have you any friends with whom you can consult, should
you need help or advice of any sort?"

"Not a soul in the world, so far as I know, unless I may call you a
friend, Doctor," answered Dick. "Of course there is Cuthbertson, the
family solicitor and the sole executor of my father's will; but the
suggestion conveyed by this letter from my mother is that something has
somehow gone wrong with him, and he may not be available."

"Quite so; he may not, as you say," agreed the Doctor. "In that case,
my dear Dick, come back to me after you have become acquainted with all
the facts, and we will discuss the matter together. That you may call
me your friend goes without saying, as you ought to know by this time;
and although I am only an obscure East-End practitioner I am not wholly
without friends able and willing to do me, or any friend of mine, a good
turn, if necessary. So come back here when you have threshed out the
matter, and we will see what--if anything--can be done."

"Right! I will. And a thousand thanks to you for this fresh evidence
of your kindly feeling toward me," exclaimed Dick, grasping the doctor's
hand. "Are you quite sure that you will be able to get along without me
for a few hours?"

"Absolutely certain," was the cheery reply. "You are a very clever
young fellow, Dick, and have proved a marvellously apt pupil since you
have been with me, but I managed this practice single-handed before you
came to me, and I have no doubt I can do it again, if needs be. So be
off with you at once, my lad; for your mother seems to be in sore need
of you."

Five minutes later Dick Maitland had boarded a tramcar, on his way to
London Bridge railway station, from whence he took train for the Crystal
Palace, the nearest station to his mother's home, which he reached
within two hours of his departure from Number 19 Paradise Street.

Now, as Dick Maitland happens to be the hero of this story it is
necessary he should be properly introduced to the reader, and this seems
as appropriate a moment as any.

To begin with, then, when we caught our first glimpse of him, assisting
Dr Humphreys to dress and bind up those tokens of