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addressed Mr。 James Smith by name； but it was very carefully
worded as to what was wanted of him。 Two days after it appeared；
a letter came to our office in a woman's handwriting。 It was my
business to open the letters； and I opened that。 The writer was
short and mysterious。 She requested that somebody would call from
our office at a certain address； between the hours of two and
four that afternoon； in reference to the advertisement which we
had inserted in the newspapers。 Of course； I was the somebody who
went。 I kept myself from building up hopes by the way； knowing
what a lot of Mr。 James Smiths there were in London。 On getting
to the house； I was shown into the drawing…room； and there；
dressed in a wrapper and lying on a sofa； was an uncommonly
pretty woman； who looked as if she was just recovering from an
illness。 She had a newspaper by her side； and came to the point
at once： 'My husband's name is James Smith；' she says； 'and I
have my reasons for wanting to know if he is the person you are
in search of。' I described our man as Mr。 James Smith； of Darrock
Hall； Cumberland。 'I know no such person；' says she〃
〃What！ was it not the second wife； after all？〃 I broke out。
〃Wait a bit；〃 says Mr。 Dark。 〃I mentioned the name of the yacht
next； and she started up on the sofa as if she had been shot。 'I
think you were married in Scotland； ma'am；' says I。 She turns as
pale as ashes； and drops back on the sofa； and says； faintly： 'It
is my husband。 Oh； sir； what has happened？ What do you want with
him？ Is he in debt？' I took a minute to think； and then made up
my mind to tell her everything； feeling that she would keep her
husband （as she called him） out of the way if I frightened her by
any mysteries。 A nice job I had； William； as you may suppose；
when she knew about the bigamy business。 What with screaming；
fainting； crying； and blowing me up （as if _I_ was to blame！）；
she kept me by that sofa of hers the best part of an hourkept
me there； in short； till Mr。 James Smith himself came back。 I
leave you to judge if that mended matters。 He found me mopping
the poor woman's temples with scent and water； and he would have
pitched me out of the window； as sure as I sit here； if I had not
met him and staggered him at once with the charge of murder
against his wife。 That stopped him when he was in full cry； I can
promise you。 'Go and wait in the next room；' says he； 'and I'll
come in and speak to you directly。' 〃
〃And did you go？〃 I asked。
〃Of course I did；〃 said Mr。 Dark。 〃I knew he couldn't get out by
the drawing…room windows； and I knew I could watch the door； so
away I went； leaving him alone with the lady； who didn't spare
him by any manner of means； as I could easily hear in the next
room。 However； all rows in this world come to an end sooner or
later； and a man with any brains in his head may do what he
pleases with a woman who is fond of him。 Before long I heard her
crying and kissing him。 'I can't go home；' she says； after this。
'You have behaved like a villain and a monster to mebut oh；
Jemmy； I can't give you up to anybody！ Don't go back to your
wife！ Oh； don't； don't go back to your wife！' 'No fear of that；'
says he。 'My wife wouldn't have me if I did go back to her。'
After that I heard the door open； and went out to meet him on the
landing。 He began swearing the moment he saw me； as if that was
any good。 'Business first； if you please； sir；' says I； 'and any
pleasure you like； in the way of swearing； afterward。' With that
beginning； I mentioned our terms to him； and asked the pleasure
of his company to Cumberland in return； he was uncommonly
suspicious at first； but I promised to draw out a legal document
（mere waste paper； of no earthly use except to pacify him）；
engaging to hold him harmless throughout the proceedings； and
what with that； and telling him of the frightful danger his wife
was in； I managed； at last； to carry my point。〃
〃But did the second wife make no objection to his going away with
you？〃 I inquired。
〃Not she；〃 said Mr。 Dark。 〃I stated the case to her just as it
stood； and soon satisfied her that there was no danger of Mr。
James Smith's first wife laying any claim to him。 After hearing
that； she joined me in persuading him to do his duty； and said
she pitied your mistress from the bottom of her heart。 With her
influence to back me； I had no great fear of our man changing his
mind。 I had the door watched that night； however； so as to make
quite sure of him。 The next morning he was ready to time when I
called； and a quarter of an hour after that we were off together
for the north road。 We made the journey with post…horses； being
afraid of chance passengers； you know； in public conveyances。 On
the way down； Mr。 James Smith and I got on as comfortably
together as if we had been a pair of old friends。 I told the
story of our tracing him to the north of Scotland； and he gave me
the particulars； in return； of his bolting from Darrock Hall。
They are rather amusing； William； would you like to hear them？〃
I told Mr。 Dark that he had anticipated the very question I was
about to ask him。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃this is how it was： To begin at the beginning；
our man really took Mrs。 Smith； Number Two； to the Mediterranean；
as we heard。 He sailed up the Spanish coast； and； after short
trips ashore； stopped at a seaside place in France called Cannes。
There he saw a house and grounds to be sold which took his fancy
as a nice retired place to keep Number Two in。 Nothing particular
was wanted but the money to buy it； and； not having the little
amount in his own possession； Mr。 James Smith makes a virtue of
necessity； and goes back overland to his wife with private
designs on her purse…strings。 Number Two； who objects to be left
behind； goes with him as far as London。 There he trumps up the
first story that comes into his head about rents in the country；
and a house in Lincolnshire that is too damp for her to trust
herself in； and so； leaving her for a few days in London； starts
boldly for Darrock Hall。 His notion was to wheedle your mistress
out of the money by good behavior； but it seems he started badly
by quarreling with her about a fiddle…playing parson〃
〃Yes； yes； I know all about that part of the story；〃 I broke in；
seeing by Mr。 Dark's manner that he was likely to speak both
ignorantly and impertinently of my mistress's unlucky friend ship
for Mr。 Meeke。 〃Go on to the time when I left my master alone in
the Red Room； and tell me what he did between midnight and nine
the next morning。〃
〃Did？〃 said Mr。 Dark。 〃Why； he went to bed with the unpleasant
conviction on his mind that your mistress had found him out； and
with no comfort to speak of except what he could get out of the
brandy bottle。 He couldn't sleep； and the more he tossed and
tumbled； the more certain he felt that his wife intended to have
him tried for bigamy。 At last； toward the gray of the morning； he
could stand it no longer； and he made up his mind to give the law
the slip while he had the chance。 As soon as he was dressed； it
struck him that there might be a reward offered for catching him；
and he determined to make that slight change