The Democratic advocate., 1892-07-30
VOL. XXVII.-NO. SO.

had been wholly destroyed by the action OF
the lime.
At the inquest which was held on the
remains, Clisby, the tailor, deposed that the
buttons found in the kiln were exactly
similar to those on covert coat he had
made for Redmayne few months before,
which coat the latter was proved to have
been wearing on the day of his disappear
ance. Mr. Dimes, the dentist, deposed that
the skull produced was short of three teeth,
one in the upper jaw and two in the lower
and that he had himself at different times
extracted three corresponding teeth of Red
Finally the knife blade, which
was somewhat peculiar one, was sworn
to by three or four people as being exactly
like one which Phil had been in the habit
of carrying. The jury brought in verdict
in accordance with the evidence, the remains
were inferred as those of Philip Redmayne,
and Mimi, who was an object of universal
commiseration, now felt herself justifedin in
putting on widow 5 weeds.
CHAPTER III.
There was no one reason why the $4,000
insurance money should not be paid, and
at the widows request proceeded to lay
her claim before the company. In due
course, that is to say, after the officials had
satisfied themselves with regard to the
facts of the case, check for the amount
came to hand, which, at my suggestion,
was deposited to Mrs. Redmayne's credit
in the local bank.
1t was week later when Mimi called
upon me, accompanied by tall, dark,
rather good-looking young man, whom she
introduced to me as her brother Pierre.
| could trace no likeness whatever between
the two-indeed, till that day had never
heard of the existence Of such person, but
that was not to be wondered at, seeing
that my godson had never told me any
thing about the relatives Or antecedents Of
his wife, Minis object in calling on mt
was to tell me that she and her brother
were going to set out for France on the
morrow, with the intention Of looking W
the trustees who had charge of the inheri
tance which would become hers on her 2ls
birthday fortnight hence. She woulC
probably be away for three weeks or ;
month, she went on to say; meanwhile, sh'
had paid for her lodgings some weeks ii
advance, and had arranged that they
should be kept for her till her return.
So she left us, and time went on till
couple of months had gone by, but still
Mimi returned not, knew not what t.
think. The most feasible supposition wa
that for some reason or other the laws pro
verbal delay had come between her anC
her inheritance, and that she was awaiting
on that spot the settlement of her affairs
But even supposipg such to be the case
why did not the young mink write to me
She could not fail to see how uneasy he
long silence would make me. But my
uneasiness deepened into a uameless ap
prehensiop when, in answer to an inquiry
on my part the manager of the bank in
formed me that Mrs. Redmayne had with
drawn the whole amount of her deposit OF
the afternoon of the day before she lefl
Tidsthorpe.
One by one the weeks sped slowly by
till the third month from the date of Mimi:
departure had come and gone without
bringing any sign or token that she was
still in the land of the living, when one
dark autumn-night, close on 10 o clock, just
as | had lighted by last pipe and mixed
my last iorum of grog before turning in
my servant brought me word that there
was man at the door who said he had
called on matter of great Importance, and
refused to send in his name.
My thoughts at once few to Mimi, per
haps the man was the bearer of message
from her; so | at once gave orders for hin
to be shown in. His first act after the
servant had left the room was to turn the
key in the door, and thereby lock up him
self and me together. l rose to my fee
in some alarm; but before ! could inquire
the meaning Of so strange proceeding hi
had flung his broad-rimmed hat aside anc
had plucked off his wig and long blacl
beard, leaving revealed to my startling anC
bewildered eyes none other than Phill
Redmayne
Yes, he and no other; but, alas, how
changed?
For q few moments | was so taker
aback, 50 utterly dumbfounded, that
could not have uttered word had IN,
life depended on il He was the first t
speak.
81 am neither an optical illusion nor
ghost, godfather, although by the look i
your face you seem to think must be on
or the other" he said, with poor imita
ton of his old merry laugh. 81 am VERT
table flesh and blood, assure you; or per
haps, l ought rather to say skin and bone
for there's not much else left on me b,
this time
"Then those were not your remains tha
were found in the imekiln ?" l contrivet
to gasp out.
''Not mine, most certainly"
"Then may | be permitted to ask wher'
you have been all this long time, and VIII,
you have allowed everybody, your poo
wife included, to believe you dead"
tkT. :. A. - Lo,,t 49,, ,,;fa that