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With such a misfortune as this presenting itself as a possible
prospect； the Minister was bound to prevent the girls from
ignorantly betraying each other by allusions to their ages and
their birthdays。 After much thought； he had devised a desperate
means of meeting the difficultyalready made known； as I am
told； for the information of strangers who may read the pages
that have gone before mine。 My friend's plan of proceeding had；
by the nature of it； exposed him to injurious comment； to
embarrassing questions； and to doubts and misconceptions； all
patiently endured in consideration of the security that had been
attained。 Proud of his explanation； Mr。 Gracedieu's vanity called
upon me to acknowledge that my curiosity had been satisfied； and
my doubts completely set at rest。
No： my obstinate common sense was not reduced to submission； even
yet。 Looking back over a lapse of seventeen years； I asked what
had happened； in that long interval； to justify the anxieties
which still appeared to trouble my friend。
This time； my harmless curiosity could be gratified by a reply
expressed in three wordsnothing had happened。
Then what； in Heaven's name； was the Minister afraid of？
His voice dropped to a whisper。 He said： 〃I am afraid of the
women。〃
Who were the women？
Two of them actually proved to be the servants employed in Mr。
Gracedieu's house； at the bygone time when be had brought the
child home with him from the prison！ To point out the absurdity
of the reasons that he gave for fearing what female curiosity
might yet attempt； if circumstances happened to encourage it；
would have been a mere waste of words。 Dismissing the subject； I
next ascertained that the Minister's doubts extended even to the
two female warders； who had been appointed to watch the murderess
in turn； during her last days in prison。 I easily relieved his
mind in this case。 One of the warders was dead。 The other had
married a farmer in Australia。 Had we exhausted the list of
suspected persons yet？ No： there was one more left； and the
Minister declared that he had first met with her in my official
residence； at the time when I was Governor of the prison。
〃She presented herself to me by name；〃 he said； 〃and she spoke
rudely。 A Miss〃 He paused to consult his memory； and this time
（thanks perhaps to his night's rest） his memory answered the
appeal。 〃I have got it！〃 he cried〃Miss Chance。〃
My friend had interested me in his imaginary perils at last。 It
was just possible that he might have a formidable person to deal
with now。
During my residence at Florence； the Chaplain and I had taken
many a retrospective look （as old men will） at past events in our
lives。 My former colleague spoke of the time when he had
performed clerical duty for his friend； the rector of a parish
church in London。 Neither he nor I had heard again of the 〃Miss
Chance〃 of our disagreeable prison experience； whom he had
married to the dashing Dutch gentleman； Mr。 Tenbruggen。 We could
only wonder what had become of that mysterious married pair。
Mr。 Gracedieu being undoubtedly ignorant of the woman's marriage；
it was not easy to say what the consequence might be； in his
excitable state； if I informed him of it。 He would； in all
probability； conclude that I knew more of the woman than he did。
I decided on keeping my own counsel； for the present at least。
Passing at once； therefore； to the one consideration of any
importance； I endeavored to find out whether Mr。 Gracedieu and
Mrs。 Tenbruggen had met； or had communicated with each other in
any way； during the long period of separation that had taken
place between the Minister and myself。 If he had been so unlucky
as to offend her； she was beyond all doubt an enemy to be
dreaded。 Apart； however； from a misfortune of this kind； she
would rank； in my opinion； with the other harmless objects of Mr。
Gracedieu's distrust。
In making my inquiries； I found that I had an obstacle to contend
with。
While he felt the renovating influence of the repose that he
enjoyed； the Minister had been able to think and to express
himself with less difficulty than usual。 But the reserves of
strength； on which the useful exercise of his memory depe nded；
began to fail him as the interview proceeded。 He distinctly
recollected that 〃something unpleasant had passed between that
audacious woman and himself。〃 But at what dateand whether by
word of mouth or by correspondencewas more than his memory
could now recall。 He believed be was not mistaken in telling me
that he 〃had been in two minds about her。〃 At one time； he was
satisfied that he had taken wise measures for his own security；
if she attempted to annoy him。 But there was another and a later
time； when doubts and fears had laid hold of him again。 If I
wanted to know how this had happened； he fancied it was through a
dream； and if I asked what the dream was； he could only beg and
pray that I would spare his poor head。
Unwilling even yet to submit unconditionally to defeat； it
occurred to me to try a last experiment on my friend； without
calling for any mental effort on his own part。 The 〃Miss Chance〃
of former days might； by a bare possibility； have written to him。
I asked accordingly if he was in the habit of keeping his
letters； and if he would allow me （when he had rested a little）
to lay them open before him； so that he could look at the
signatures。 〃You might find the lost recollection in that way；〃 I
suggested； 〃at the bottom of one of your letters。〃
He was in that state of weariness； poor fellow； in which a man
will do anything for the sake of peace。 Pointing to a cabinet in
his room； he gave me a key taken from a little basket on his bed。
〃Look for yourself；〃 he said。 After some hesitationfor I
naturally recoiled from examining another man's correspondenceI
decided on opening the cabinet； at any rate。
The lettersa large collectionwere； to my relief； all neatly
folded； and indorsed with the names of the writers。 I could run
harmlessly through bundle after bundle in search of the one name
that I wanted； and still respect the privacy of the letters。 My
perseverance deserved a rewardand failed to get it。 The name I
wanted steadily eluded my search。 Arriving at the upper shelf of
the cabinet； I found it so high that I could barely reach it with
my hand。 Instead of getting more letters to look over； I pulled
down two newspapers。
One of them was an old copy of the _Times；_ dating back as far as
the 13th December； 1858。 It was carefully folded； longwise； with
the title…page uppermost。 On the first column； at the left…hand
side of the sheet； appeared the customary announcements of
Births。 A mark with a blue pencil； against one of the
advertisements； attracted my attention。 I read these lines：
〃On the 10th inst。； the wife of the Rev。 Abel Gracedieu； of a
daughter。〃
The second newspaper bore a later date； and contained nothing
that interested me。 I naturally assumed that the advertisement in
the _Times_ had been inserted at the desire of Mrs。 Gracedieu；
and； after all that I had heard； there was little difficulty in
attributing the curious omission of the place in which the child
had b