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Discovering Diverse Content Through
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been born within a few days of one another. A nurse was wanted at
the Hall. I required money; and I saw an opportunity of working out
my revenge by changing the children. I insisted that I should come
to the Hall as the nurse of the heir. Francis resisted, until I swore to
reveal all his villainy. Then he yielded, and I attained my end; I was
established at Mere Hall as the nurse of the heir, and my child,
Edward Fielding--falsely so called--was in the nursery with me.

"The two children lay side by side in the cradle. I could have
changed them then, but I was unable to do so with safety; for,
guessing my purpose, Francis had marked his son with the St.
Catharine's Cross, which he had long before pricked on my arm. I
could not, therefore, change the children with safety while Francis
lived, and I began to think that I should not succeed in my revenge.
Then the powers above us intervened. Francis, while driving home
one stormy night, was thrown out of his dog-cart and killed. I saw
my opportunity, and I took it. Nobody knew of the tattooed cross on
the skin of the real heir, save myself and Dr. Binjoy, who had been
attending on both children. He was in love with me, and I made him
promise to be silent. When I had secured his promise, which I did by
saying that I would marry him, I changed the children; in the cradle
of the heir I placed my own child, and with the son of my rival I left
the village.

"I never intended to marry Binjoy, whom I hated, and when I fled he
was forced to hold his tongue, lest he should be accused of
complicity in the abduction. I went to London, but my money came
to an end; I travelled to the Isle of Wight, where my sister was
staying. She had left Ryde, I found out, and had gone to Scotland. I
had no money, I was hungry, and perishing with cold, when I was
rescued by that good Samaritan, the Vicar of Fairview. He wished to
adopt the child, and, as I hated it, as being the son of my rival in the
affections of Francis, I let him take it. Then I went to London,
afterwards to Scotland, where I lived with my sister, who married Mr.
Colmer. Later on I became the wife of a drunken and wealthy brute
called Bryant. Then came misfortune. My sister's husband lost his
money, and died of broken heart. She took her little girls, Emma and
Anne, and set up in Taxton-on-Thames as a dressmaker.

"I came South with my husband. He lost his money also, but he was
set up by his friends in the Red Star public-house in Tooley's Alley.
We took the name of Mr. and Mrs. Boazoph, so as to cut off all links
with our former lives. My husband drank, and ultimately he died of
drink. As Mrs. Boazoph I carried on the business and drifted into evil
ways. I assisted thieves and rogues. If you wish to know my history
for twenty years ask the police; they will tell it to you. My sister had
become paralytic and never knew me as Mrs. Boazoph. To her I was
Mrs. Bryant, living on the little money left to me by my good
husband. I hope she may die in that belief, so that I may retain at
least one person's respect.

"All this time I had watched the fortunes of the two children. The
false Sir Gregory had grown up to be a wicked young man, fast and
dissolute, the true Sir Gregory, passing under the name of Edward
Hersham, had become a journalist, and was reported steady and
clever. Dr. Binjoy had left Damington, and was living at Taxton-on-
Thames with Louis, the son of Michael Fellenger. Then my niece
Emma came to London to enter a dressmaker's establishment. She
found out the truth about my life, and told her sister. I asked them
to keep the knowledge from their mother.

"Binjoy also found out where and how I was living. He used to come
up to town and stay at Dr. Turnor's or with me as Dr. Renshaw,
hoping by a feigned name to hide the iniquitous life he led while in
town. He wanted to oust my son and get Sir Louis to hold the
Fellenger estates. I refused to let him do this, and threatened to
produce the real heir should he attempt to do so. Young Vaud used
to come to my hotel. He saw Emma and fell in love with her. I was
glad of this, as I knew that the young fellow was good and true,
much better than my wretched son, for whom I had sinned. Vaud
became engaged to Emma. He went to Taxton-on-Thames and saw
my sister; she gave her consent to the match. All was going well,
when Emma, who had become acquainted with my son, the false Sir
Gregory, went off with him to Paris. He married her and neglected
her. She destroyed herself, as was confessed to me by the valet
Robert, a dog of a creature.

"I was distracted when I learned all this. I went to my sister and I
told her that the false Sir Gregory was my son. I returned to town to
find that young Vaud was seriously ill. Afterwards he was sent on a
sea voyage, and he went over to Paris when he got back to rescue
Emma from my miserable son. She was dead, and he returned to
see if he could take vengeance on her murderer. He told me that he
would kill Sir Gregory, but I thought that it was an idle threat.
Afterwards I saw nothing more of him for some time. My sister
asked for the address of Sir Gregory, as she wanted a photograph of
Emma which had been taken at Taxton-on-Thames.

"When I went to Gregory's rooms in Half-Moon Street to tell him the

truth, I saw the photograph. I wrote on it the date of the birth and
death of his victim. I told him about the tattooed cross, and how I
could prove that he was not the real Sir Gregory, because he had not
that mark on his arm. He did not believe me, and turned me out of
his rooms, me--his mother. At that moment I hated him for his
likeness to his father who had wronged me. But I could not harm
him. I went to Taxton-on-Thames; I said nothing. I wrote on an
envelope the address of Sir Gregory, and gave it to my sister, so that
she could write to him for the photograph, on the back of which I
had written. All this took place before the murder.

"Then Gregory came to my hotel on the evening of the twenty-first

of June. I did not see him, but I saw Vaud, who entered afterwards,
disguised as a black man. I recognised him at once, and asked him
why he was dressed up like the servant of Binjoy. He said it was to
play a trick on the doctor, who was in the inner room waiting to see
him. I believed him, although I thought his behaviour strange. But I
know that he had not been quite right in his head since his illness,
so that I thought his dressing-up was a freak, and let him pass into
the inner room, where I presumed he was about to see Binjoy. I
went back to my own room, and never dreamt that the supposed
doctor was my son in disguise. Had I known I would not have left
the half-crazed Vaud go into him, knowing how he hated my son as
the destroyer of Emma.

"I know nothing more. I saw Binjoy later on. I asked him if he had
seen Vaud; he said no, that he had just come to the hotel. I went
into the inner room and found my son dead. I did not know how he
died till Binjoy told me about the blood-poisoning. Then I sent for
the police, and Mr. Fanks arrived. I saw the grains of gunpowder. I
thought they were the evidence of some drug which had destroyed
my son. I got rid of them by pulling off the tablecloth. I did not tell
the truth or speak out, because I was afraid of being inculpated in
the crime. My character was so bad that I knew the police would
have no mercy if they thought I was mixed up in the murder. I did
not want to disgrace my sister, or let her know my real life, my
feigned name. I afterwards went down to Mere Hall and saw Binjoy.
I said I would put the rightful heir in his own place, and oust Louis.
Binjoy said if I did he would tell my story, and that with his evidence
I would be accused of the murder. I therefore held my tongue; I
could not bring back my son to life. He had treated me badly, and I
did not want to get Vaud into trouble, as I knew that he was mad
with grief and rage, and was not responsible for his actions. On the
whole I thought it best to hold my tongue, and for the above
reasons I did so.

"I have now spoken because Edward Hersham, the rightful heir, is
accused of the crime. He has suffered enough injustice, and I do not
wish to see him hanged. Binjoy can tell his own story of how he
came to the hotel on that night and met with Mr. Fanks. Vaud can
confess if he will as to how he plotted and carried out the crime. For
myself, I have said all I have to say. What is set down here is the
truth. I am deeply sorry for my evil ways, but I am paying for my
follies with my life; all I ask for is forgiveness and forgetfulness. I
have sinned, I am punished. All good Christians pray for the soul of
a wicked but deeply wronged woman.

(Signed), Madaline Bryant (better known as Louisa Boazoph)."

CHAPTER XXXIV.

THE SAME.

The evidence of Theophilus Binjoy:--

"I am a medical man; and in my early manhood, I practised in the

village of Damington. I was present at the birth of Edward Fielding,
and of Gregory Fellenger. I know about the mark on the arm of the
real heir. Madaline changed the two children, and I said nothing as
she promised to marry me. I was madly in love with her. She left the
village, and deceived me. Afterwards I held my tongue lest I should
get into trouble; also I hoped when the false Sir Gregory grew up, to
have a hold on him. I was prevented from doing this by Madaline
(whom I had discovered in Tooley's Alley, under the name of Mrs.
Boazoph). She threatened to reveal the name of the true heir if I
meddled with her son. I therefore did nothing. I saw the poisoned
needle which Louis had made ready for an experiment. It was in a
cabinet in the laboratory. Young Vaud came to Taxton-on-Thames
nearly crazed with the death of Emma Colmer, whom he had courted
as Emma Calvert. She had been driven to her death by her husband,
the false Sir Gregory, and had killed herself in Paris. Vaud asked me
about poisons. He said nothing to me about killing Sir Gregory, or I
should have dissuaded him from doing so wicked and rash an action.
"I swear I did not wish the death of the young man. What I said to
him in the laboratory, was purely without ulterior motives.

"I admit I showed him the poisoned needle. I was interested in the
experiment, and, being full of it, I spoke of our intention of trying
the poison on the dog. When Vaud left the laboratory, I did not miss
the needle; I did not miss it until Louis spoke to me about it. As
Turnor had lately been in the laboratory, and we had been speaking
about the experiment, I thought he had taken the needle. It never
struck me that Vaud had benefited by my explanation, and had
stolen the needle to kill Gregory. With Louis I went up to town on
the twenty-first of June, to see Turnor, and ask him for the needle; I
had no motive in taking Louis to Turnor's. If Turnor attempted to
blackmail Louis, I knew nothing about it. I repel with scorn the
insinuation that I purposely inveigled Louis to Great Auk Street to
entangle him in the crime, and so blackmail him. I never heard of
the murder until I went to the Red Star, according to my usual
custom of an evening. Madaline asked me if I had seen Vaud, who
was disguised as a negro. I said I had not.

"We went into the room; and found the body of Sir Gregory; he was
disguised as a working-man; Vaud had disappeared. I ordered the
body to be taken upstairs, and made an examination. I then saw
that Gregory had been killed by being inoculated with the poison
which Louis and I had discovered. I recognised the cross of St.
Catherine, half tattooed on the arm; and I guessed from that how
Vaud had induced Gregory to let himself be pricked with the
poisoned needle. I showed the mark to Fanks when he came
upstairs. But before doing so, I obliterated it with a cut of the knife.
I did this because I thought I might be inculpated with the crime. I
remember advising Hersham (who I did not know was the real heir)
to disguise himself as a negro so as to gain realistic descriptions of
street music. I did not do so with any wrongful intention of
connecting him with the murder. Madaline had told me how Vaud
was dressed as my negro servant; I saw that the death had been
brought about by the poisoned needle stolen from our laboratory by
Vaud; and with these two things in my head I recognised my danger
at once. I gave my feigned name to Fanks; I suggested that the
crime was the work of a secret society. Then I went back to Turnor,
and I was aware that I was being watched and could not return to
Taxton-on-Thames without being discovered.

"I consulted Turnor; he advised the voyage to Bombay, and said I

ought to send Caesar in my place, in order to get rid of him, since
the murderer of Gregory had been disguised in his livery; and also
that Caesar could send letters (already written by me) from India, in
order to keep up the deception, and baffle the police. I adopted the
idea, and, assisted by Dr. Turnor, I carried it out with great success. I
had an interview with Fanks in the character of Dr. Renshaw, and I
told him that I was going to Bombay. I then took a passage to India
in the P. and O. steamer 'Oceana'; and wired to Caesar to meet me
at Plymouth.

"Thither I went and gave the letters (purporting to be written by

myself from Bombay) to Caesar and sent him off in my place.
Afterwards, I took off my disguise, and went back to Mere Hall. I
had no idea that I had been followed by Mr. Fanks, and thinking that
I had destroyed all links with the crime in Tooley's Alley, likely to
endanger Louis and myself, I advised him to offer a reward so as to
still further avert suspicion.

"This he did, and I thought all was well, till Madaline came from
Mere Hall to warn me against Fanks, and to threaten to put the real
Gregory in the place of Louis. I stopped her doing this, and defied
Fanks. How he over-reached me; how I was betrayed by Louis, has
been told by others. I can swear with a clear conscience that I acted
throughout in the interests of Louis, who has treated me with the
basest ingratitude. I have no more to say, save to express my
pleasure that Mr. Hersham has recovered his real name in the world.
I hope he will remember that it was indirectly through me that he
was re-instated in his estates; by my confirming the statements of
Madaline, and that of the late Sir Francis, his father. I think that he
should reward me. In this hope I take my leave.

(Signed), Theophilus Binjoy."

The evidence of Anne Colmer--

"I am the daughter of Mrs. Colmer, of Taxton-on-Thames, the sister

of Emma Colmer, who died in Paris under the name of Emma
Calvert, and the niece of Madaline Garry, better known as Mrs.
Boazoph. I saw the letter--or rather the envelope--which she
directed for my mother, to get back the photograph of my sister
from Sir Gregory. It was taken out of our house by Herbert Vaud,
and I believe he sent it to Sir Gregory with the cardboard star,
making the appointment in Tooley's Alley. I had no idea that Vaud
contemplated revenging the death of my sister on Gregory. I knew
that he hated him, and that he would do him harm if he could, but I
did not know that he would go so far as murder.

"I wired to Ted Hersham on the twenty-first, as my mother told me

that she suspected that Vaud had taken the envelope, and that he
contemplated harm to Sir Gregory. I wanted Ted to get back the
envelope. Afterwards, I thought that I would see my aunt in Tooley's
Alley, as I knew she had great influence with Vaud. I sent the
telegram, and immediately, without returning to the house, I went
up to town. I was detained by the train breaking down, and I did not
arrive in town till nearly seven o'clock. I went to the Red Star, where
I saw Mr. Fanks; and then heard of the crime. I fancied that Vaud
might have committed it, but I was not sure. I was afraid lest my
mother should be implicated in it; as she informed me that she had
told Vaud about the substitution of the false Sir Gregory, and about
the tattooed cross. This story had been related to her by Mrs.
Boazoph, when we learned that Sir Gregory had caused the death of
his wife, my sister.
"I determined to recover the envelope, in case my aunt should get
into trouble, and to obtain the photograph, lest the police should
trace the connection of the so-called Emma Calvert with myself and
my mother. I went up to the chambers in Half-Moon Street. There I
saw Mr. Fanks, and I recognised him as a detective. I had seen him
and heard his name when I had been at the Red Star, shortly after
the committal of the crime. I was afraid we would all get into
trouble, therefore, I took advantage of Robert's faint to leave the
room. I got into a cab, and told the man that I was being followed
by a gentleman. He assisted me to escape by dropping me in
Piccadilly, and afterwards--as I learned--he misled Mr. Fanks, who
followed me.

"I know nothing about the poisoned needle, or how the crime was
accomplished. I heard afterwards about the tattooed cross from my
mother. It was with no intention of getting Ted into trouble that I
told him to assume the dress of Caesar. When the detective
suspected it, I advised him to make a clean breast of it, which he
afterwards did. I did not tell Mr. Fanks what I knew, as I was afraid
of getting my mother and aunt into difficulties. All this is true, I
swear, and I know no more about the matter.

(Signed), Anne Colmer."

The evidence of Mrs. Colmer:--

"I told Vaud about the substitution of Gregory for Edward Hersham.
My sister, Mrs. Bryant, had confessed it to me. I was mad with rage
and grief at the way in which my girl had been treated by Gregory,
and I thought Vaud might see about getting him turned out of the
place he wrongfully occupied, and so punish his wickedness. I had
no idea that Vaud intended to kill Sir Gregory. Bad as he was, I did
not wish to go that far. I only wanted him to be deprived of his
estates and title, so that he should suffer. I gave the envelope,
which had been written by my sister, Mrs. Bryant, with the address
in Half-Moon Street, so that Vaud should call on Sir Gregory, and tell
him the truth, and should get back the photograph of my poor girl.

"I knew nothing of the murder, which took place in a low hotel in
Tooley's Alley, and which was kept by a notorious woman called Mrs.
Boazoph. I also told Vaud that Ted Hersham was writing articles on
street music, and that, to study the subject, he was going about
London in the guise of a negro. I only told him this in the course of
conversation, and without any motive. This is all I know about the
affair.

(Signed), Jane Colmer."

The evidence of Dr. Turnor:--

"I did not take the poisoned needle. I knew nothing of such an
instrument. Louis and Binjoy came up to me on the twenty-first to
ask me about it. I denied having it, but Louis did not believe me.
When I was called in by Mrs. Boazoph he would not let me go out of
the room. Binjoy went under the name of Renshaw. He used that
name and a disguise in order to enjoy himself in London. After he
left, Louis, finding, that I had not the needle, returned to Taxton-on-
Thames. Binjoy came back; he told me that Gregory Fellenger was
dead, and that he was being watched. I saw his danger, and advised
him to keep up his fictitious character so as to deceive the police. I
suggested the voyage to India; I helped to carry out the plan.

"He got away to Mere Hall safely, as we thought. When Fanks asked
me questions, I did my best to baffle him for the sake of Binjoy. I
had no other motive. I was ignorant of the tattooed cross, of the
changing of the children. I saw Sir Louis when he succeeded to the
estates by the death of his cousin. I did not blackmail him. The sum
of money he gave me was a reward for my helping Binjoy to escape.
I know nothing of the murder save what I read in the newspaper. I
consider that I have been ungratefully treated by Mr. Louis Fellenger,
and most insolently by the man who calls himself Fanks. I have
nothing more to add.

(Signed), Walter Turnor."

The confession of Herbert Vaud:--

"I killed Gregory Fellenger. I am glad that I killed him. When I found
out in Paris how he had deceived and slain the woman I loved, I
determined to make him pay for his wickedness. 'An eye for an eye,'
that is Scripture. I wished to kill Gregory without harm to myself;
and an opportunity soon occurred. I was at Mrs. Colmer's, at Taxton-
on-Thames, commiserating, with her on the death of her daughter
and my affianced wife. I did not tell her I wished to kill the
scoundrel; I told nobody. She related to me the history of the
changing of the children, which had been told to her by her sister,
Mrs. Bryant, whom I knew as Mrs. Boazoph. She wanted to avenge
the death of her daughter on Gregory by depriving him of his title
and estates. Also, she gave me the address of Gregory, written on
an envelope by Mrs. Boazoph, and asked me to call upon him for the
double purpose of telling him what he really was, and also, to get
the photograph which had been seen and written upon by Mrs.
Boazoph, in Gregory's chambers.

"I took the envelope, but at that time I did not design the murder. I
wanted to kill Gregory, but I could not see how to do it with safety
to myself. I afterwards went to Mrs. Boazoph, and learned from her
that she had told her son about the tattooing, and the falseness of
his position. She implored me not to see him about his relationship
to her. I agreed; for I wished to kill him, and make him suffer. The
taking away of his property was not good enough in my eyes to
punish him for his wickedness.
"Afterwards I went to Taxton-on-Thames to see Binjoy. I knew that
he was a chemist, and I desired to ask him about a poison to kill
Gregory. He told me about the poisoned needle, and showed it to
me. Whether he did so in order to put the idea into my head I do
not know. I did not tell him that I intended to kill Gregory; so far he
is guiltless; but he certainly showed me the way--innocently,
perhaps--to kill Gregory. When I came back from Taxton-on-Thames
I had the poisoned needle in my possession, and saw how to carry
out my plan. I remembered the tattooed cross on the arm of the
rightful heir, and I resolved to make use of that to induce Gregory to
let me tattoo his arm with the poisoned needle.

"I placed the advertisement in a paper, which I knew he took in. I

saw his answer, and I then sent him the cardboard star appointing
the meeting-place in Tooley's Alley. I imitated the writing on the
envelope when designing a star, so that, if necessary, the blame
might rest on Mrs. Boazoph, his mother. For the same reason I
chose the Red Star as the meeting-place. To make things doubly
sure, I made use of Hersham's masquerade as a negro; and I
adopted his disguise to implicate him. Moreover, I thought that,
failing Hersham, I might be able to throw the blame on Binjoy and
his negro servant. In every way I thought that I was safe.

"I went to the Red Star on the twenty-first; I met Mrs. Boazoph, and
made an excuse to her for my disguise (which she penetrated) that I
was about to play a trick on Binjoy. She thought that I was mad, and
I let her remain in that delusion. But I here state that I am quite
sane; that I killed Gregory with the greatest deliberation, and that I
do not regret what I have done. I went into the room; I met
Gregory. He took me for the negro of Dr. Binjoy, whom he had never
seen. The lights were low, and I said little; also I disguised my voice.
Gregory was a remarkably stupid creature, else I should never have
succeeded in my plan; also he was rather drunk. I counted on his
density in coming into his presence. At all events he did not know
me; and when I told him that the rightful heir must have the cross
pricked on his arm--a fact which I said I had heard from Binjoy--he
let me tattoo it in his arm. I did so with the poisoned needle, and in
a short space of time he became insensible; afterwards he died.
Then I pulled down his sleeve and left the hotel. The gunpowder
scattered on the table was used by me as a device to make Gregory
think that I was really tattooing him.

"Afterwards I left a parcel containing the poisoned needle at his

chambers, to rid myself of all evidence of the crime. Well, I killed
him and went away. No one else is guilty of the crime but me. I
conceived it without assistance. I alone committed the crime in
Tooley's Alley and killed Gregory Fellenger, or, rather, Edward
Fielding, the son of Madaline Garry and Sir Francis. I am not sorry. I
glory in having punished a villain. I am sorry that I was found out,
but I was not surprised when Mrs. Boazoph betrayed me. I
wondered that she did not do so long ago. When this is read I shall
be dead.

(Signed), Herbert Vaud."

CHAPTER XXXV.

THE OPINION OF OCTAVIUS FANKS.

A few months after the confession of Vaud and the end of the Tooley
Alley case, Fanks was seated with Louis Fellenger in the house of the
latter at Taxton-on-Thames. Louis had surrendered the estates to
Hersham, who was now known by his rightful title of Sir Gregory
Fellenger. Mrs. Boazoph was dead; Anne Colmer contemplated
marriage with the new Sir Gregory; and Mr. Fanks was having a chat
with Fellenger about the extraordinary matters in which they both
had been concerned.

"When did you get back to town, Fanks?" asked Louis, when they
were comfortably seated.

"Last week, old fellow. I have been enjoying myself in Italy, and I
assure you that I needed it after the wear and tear of the Tooley
Alley affair. I came down to have a chat with you about it."

"I am glad you have. There are one or two points about those
confessions which I do not understand. That case was a hard nut to
crack, Fanks."

Fanks looked up from the pipe he was filling. "Hard?" he echoed;

"you may well say that, Fellenger. I have had many hard cases in my
time, but the Tooley Alley mystery was the hardest of them all. The
affair of Monsieur Judas was difficult; so was the Chinese Jar Puzzle.
The Carbuncle Clue gave me some trouble; but all these were child's
play compared to the mystery of your cousin's death. I thought I
should never get a hold of the rope with which I designed to hang
Vaud."

"You didn't hang him, however."

"No; he managed to hang himself before his trial. I was not sorry,
poor devil."

"Nor was I," said Louis; "and I think that Vaud was mad when he
killed Gregory, mad with despair and grief at the end of Emma
Calvert. The old man has gone abroad, I hear."

"Yes; I met him in Italy. He is quite broken down, as he was very

proud of his son Herbert. But he told me that he always thought
Herbert would do something rash, although he never suspected that
he killed Gregory. How could he when the young man conducted
himself so circumspectly? I don't think Herbert was insane," said
Fanks, decisively; "he acted too cleverly and cunningly for that. He
killed Gregory in cold blood with the greatest determination. Besides,
look at the measures he took to secure his safety. No, no, my friend;
Vaud was not mad."

"Crate told me that you suspected him for some time before you
found out the truth."

"Yes, I did. I suspected him without any evidence to go on. But he

protested so much, and behaved so queerly, that I thought he was
the man I wanted. All the same, as I had no evidence to go on, I
held my tongue until I was certain. When I left Binjoy ill at Mere Hall
I could think of no one so likely to have committed the crime as
Vaud; so, on the chance that Mrs. Boazoph would tell the truth, I
sent Garth for him. When he came into the room at the Red Star
Mrs. Boazoph spotted him at once. I knew that the woman was
aware of the real murderer. I saw that on the night the crime was
committed. Her action with the gunpowder gave me that tip."

"And Mrs. Boazoph, alias Mrs. Bryant, alias Mrs. Fielding, alias
Madaline Garry, is dead also. I was sorry for that woman, Fanks."

"So was I," said the detective, promptly. "She had a hard time of it. I
don't think that she was naturally bad, and in happier circumstances
she might have been a decent member of society. But look at the
training and misfortunes she had. Sir Francis, a fool of a first
husband, a brute of a second, and all the temptations at Tooley's
Alley to contend against. I wonder she was as decent as she was. I
am a deal sorrier for her than for your friend Binjoy, who got off
scot-free."

"Don't call him my friend," said Louis, with a shudder. "I hate the
very name of the man. It was only out of respect for my father that I
bore with him for so long. I was glad when he went away. Did you
ever see so insolent a confession as he made?"
"Oh, I was prepared for anything from a scoundrel like Binjoy. He
gave me a rub for myself; and so did his friend, Turnor. 'Arcades
Ambo.' Blackguards both," quoted Fanks, smiling. "But Hersham did
not remember him as he expected him to."

"No, the present Sir Gregory, whom you will call Hersham, sent
Binjoy away pretty sharply, I can tell you. Binjoy and Turnor actually
had the cheek to call on him at Mere Hall, and ask him for money in
order to leave England; on the plea that their substantiation of Mrs.
Boazoph's evidence had gained him the estate."

"I think it was your decency in letting Hersham have the estates
without going into Court that made things so smooth, Fellenger. Do
you regret the loss?"

"No, I assure you I do not. I was satisfied that Hersham was truly
the heir; the evidence of that paper we found, and of Mrs. Boazoph,
was quite enough. I was glad to come back here, and go on with my
experiments in peace. I accepted a thousand a year from Hersham,
which he insisted on giving me; so you see I am fairly well off."

"And you are good friends with Hersham--I beg his pardon--Sir
Gregory Fellenger, of Mere Hall, in the county of Hants?"

"I am excellent friends with him and with his future wife, Anne
Colmer. You know, of course, that they are going to be married in a
month or so, that is, if Mrs. Colmer does not die in the meantime?"

"From what I hear from Garth, it is likely that she will die," said
Fanks. "I expect the poor woman will be glad to go now that she
sees her daughter will make a good marriage."

"Garth came to see me the other day," said Louis, "and he told me
that at one time he thought I had committed the crime."

"I thought so, too," said Fanks, quietly. "Mrs. Jerusalem did her best
to make me suspect you."
"I am glad you found that I was guiltless. By the way, where is Mrs.
Jerusalem?"

"She is keeping house for Garth. I hear that Hersham gave Garth
some money, knowing how hard-up he was, so he has set up a
house on the strength of it. I don't envy Garth his housekeeper."

"Oh, she loves him in her own savage way," said Louis, coolly. "I
daresay when he marries he will give her the go-by. I am sure she
deserves it for the double way in which she treated me. Then she
will go to the Union, or become an emigrant to America, like Messrs.
Binjoy and Turnor."

"Why America?"

"She has a sister there. I wonder what those two scoundrelly doctors
are doing in the States?"

"Evil, you may be sure of that," replied Fanks. "Let us hope that they
will be lynched some day. I am sure that they deserve it."

"They do," assented Fellenger. "I am sorry they did not get into
trouble."

Fanks laughed. "That was certainly your own fault, my dear fellow,"
he said.

"Well, I was unwilling to prosecute for that blackmailing, because I

did not want the public to know more of our family scandal than was
necessary. I was sorry to let the blackguards go, but, after all, it is
best so. Don't you think so yourself?"

"No, I don't," said Fanks. "You are too full of the milk of human
kindness, my dear Fellenger. I should have punished the rascals."

"I am sure you would not if your family had been involved in such a
business. I am glad you kept so much from the public ear; there are
quite enough scandals as it is. Well, we have discussed the case a
good time, so suppose you come inside and have some luncheon."

"I'm agreeable," was Fanks' reply, and he got up to follow his friend.
"By the way, can I take any message from you to Hersham and Miss
Colmer? I am going down to Mere Hall next week."

"Tell them I hope they will ask me to dance at the wedding."

"Of course they will. I shall dance also," added Fanks, with a smile.
"I deserve to, for I danced enough after the evidence of this Tooley
Alley case. May I never have such another; it was more like a
detective novel than a story in real life. But it is over now, thank
Heaven. We have acted our several parts; the bad have been
punished and the good rewarded, so we can drop the curtain on the
Tragedy of Tooley's Alley."

THE END.
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