his, and I could not believe it when the
lawyer had done reading the letter.

"Oh, sir," I said, "surely that is some base imposition? Surely it
cannot be true?"

"That is what I have told your mistress," he answered. "But she says in
return--"

"That I feel it to be true," my mistress broke in, speaking behind the
handkerchief in a faint, smothered voice.

"We need not debate the question," the lawyer went on. "Our business now
is to prove the truth or falsehood of this letter. That must be done
at once. I have written to one of my clerks, who is accustomed to
conducting delicate investigations, to come to this house without loss
of time. He is to be trusted with anything, and he will pursue the
needful inquiries immediately.

"It is absolutely necessary, to make sure of committing no mistakes, that
he should be accompanied by some one who is well acquainted with Mr.
James Smith's habits and personal appearance, and your mistress has
fixed upon you to be that person. However well the inquiry is managed,
it may be attended by much trouble and delay, may necessitate a long
journey, and may involve some personal danger. Are you," said the
lawyer, looking hard at me, "ready to suffer any inconvenience and to
run any risk for your mistress's sake?"

"There is nothing I _can_ do, sir," said I, "that I will not do. I am
afraid I am not clever enough to be of much use; but, so far as troubles
and risks are concerned, I am ready for anything from this moment."

My mistress took the handkerchief from her face, looked at me with her
eyes full of tears, and held out her hand. How I came to do it I don't
know, but I stooped down and kissed the hand she offered me, feeling
half startled, half ashamed at my own boldness the moment after.

"You will do, my man," said the lawyer, nodding his head. "Don't trouble
yourself about the cleverness or the cunning that may be wanted. My
clerk has got head enough for two. I have only one word more to say
before you go downstairs again. Remember that this investigation and the
cause that leads to it must be kept a profound secret. Except us three,
and the clergyman here (to whom your mistress has written word of what
has happened), nobody knows anything about it. I will let my clerk into
the secret when he joins us. As soon as you and he are away from the
house, you may talk about it. Until then, you will close your lips on
the subject."

The clerk did not keep us long waiting. He cam