The sun., 1893-03-30

and the inquest held on William Hen
gist Smith,
How did you know my nameY" /
exclaimed, angrily, the hot blood rush
ing to my face.
The agent shrugged his shoulders.
Il found 1t out" he said quietly; I'VE
can never work well in the dark, you
know"
Then, noting my confusion, he smiled,
and said, There is no necessity for
you to be alarmed. i always like to
know the name of my clients. Once
we start an inquiry we often come
upon information which may some day
be OF great value to them. If we
didn't know who tney were we couldn't
communicate with them"
1 accepted his explanation. 1t
wouldn't have done for me to appear
alarmed or seriously angry. That
would perhaps have aroused the agents
suspicious.
! was about to leave when the agent
called me back
You are sure this is all the informa-
ton you want?" he said.
Quite sure, thank you.''
Il suppose the subsequent career of
the widow of Mr.. William Hengist
Smith is of no interest to your
1 hesitated.
We'll, I-er-I should like to know
what had become of her."
Il can tell you, but not of course for
the f25. Thinking you might like the
inquiry completed l followed the case
up and 1 can tell you a little about the
lady. Is it worth another E25?"
"Yes."
VERY goodr'
He unlocked his desk again and took
out blue envelope and handed it to
me.
1 opened it and read the report.
Marion Smith, widow of William Hen
gist Smith, was married at ST. Marys
Church, Kensington on -, 1SS-, to
Sir Henry Lascelles, Bart Sir Henry
and Lady Lascelles are now residing
at Canning House, Kensington
My wife had married one month after
my drowned body had been identified
by her, and she was now Lady Las
celles.
I had not the EOS with me, SO I told
the agent I would go to my hotel and
fetch it.
'"rhere is no hurry" he said ANY
time that you are passing to-day or to-
morrow will door you can send me a
cheque."
I folded the paper up, put it in my
pocket, and went out into the street
Here was a pretty kettle of fish. My
wife had buried me and had married
another man. / felt convinced that it
was to marry the other man she had
buried me. She had seen the report of
the finding of the body in the papers
The published statements of my former
employer had put the idea into her
head of playing CHASTITY comedy and
making herself safe in case I turned
up and threatened proceedings She
knew that had left the country She
knew that l was going to the Colonies
when we signed the deed of separa-
ton.
Still 1 was dead She had certainly
killed me in very effective way, and
l should have some trouble ON proving
that was alive. And to do that would
be to proclaim myself William Hengist
Smith, the husband of Lady Lascelles.
To do that would be to betray the wo-
man I loved better than all else in the
world, my dear Cora.
"William Hengist Smith," / said to
myself, as 1 walked back to my hotel
you are dead, dead and buried. Your
wife has made herself safe in contract
ing a second marriage, and she has
made you safe at the same time. A
dead man can't commit bigamy."
was rather relieved for Cora's sake
that I was dead, but I didn't like the
idea of that unknown suicide lying in
my family grave among my people,
and using my name on the tombstone.
But how was L to get him out. He
was there, and there he would have to
stop till the day of judgment.
Satisfied at least that / was now safe
and that my wife could never interfere
with me again, 1 began to breathe
more freely. l had no fear now of
anybody, so I walked about London
holding my head high, and lost the
terror which had once or twice come
upon me when / met women in the
street who looked at the first glance
something like my wife.
Relieved in my feelings, determined
to stay on through the London season
instead of going abroad and returning
from Venice to Australia.
One night at the opera we met an old
friend of Coras, a rich Australian lady
who had been in England some two
years. She insisted that we should
come and see her, and we went to din
ner few days afterward. Then came
an invitation to a ball, and for Cora 8
sake accepted it.
It was Il grand ball, and a great
many tip-top people were there, for
our Australian friends husband was
an important public parsonage.
We arrived early-too early, not be-
S,oo. 10 atD+r-
saw nearly all the people arrive, and
were able to learn who they were
Cora was delighted. She danced sew
eral times and everybody admired her.
I didn't dance but sat quietly in a
| corner and looked on.
An hour later, when I was watching
the dancers, ! heard some one say,
''That's Sir Henry Lascelles. !"
and is that dark woman his wife p
Yes" was the reply. THAT is Lady
Lascelles. Poor old chap, I'm afraid
he has anything but a good time"
My cheeks went deadly white and
then flushed crimson.
Lady Lascelles!
turned and found MYSELF face to
face with nay first wife.
| Our eyes met
She knew me, / am certain of that
| but for all outward and visible signs
l might have been a total stranger
whose face her eyes had accidentally
rested upon in the street.
| had not such complete command OF
myself.
felt the hot blood rush to my cheeks
and fade away again. My heart almost
stood still and q faint sick feeling
| Ctept over me- = ~ vas
Sir Henry Lascelles, her husband. a
tall military-looking man. faded
dandy vainly endeayoring to appear q
young buck, was standing near her.
While my eyes were still fixed upor
her Il could not look away, though
tried), she turned to Sir Henry. and
said i'll voice loud enough for me tt
hear:
MY dear, will you fetch me my fan
| have left it on the seat yonder by
J the Australian lady-Mrs. - intro
duced TO us Just now-Mrs. Smith"
She had been introduced to nv wife
and she Intended me to know il: 90
It was a marvellous performance OF
her part-th sudden and totally unex
pected meeting with a husband She hat
comfortably buried In Hiahgata cnn,