The sun., 1893-03-30
CHAPTER II.-Continued.

Ol Tie
ton in which found myself involved.
One thing was certain. could walk
about now without fear and hold my
head high. Nobody could punish me
for bigamy, because / was dead before
contracted the second marriage-dead
and buried.
Still felt far from comfortable. I
remember that inscription on the
grave at Highgate. I felt that there
was an intruder in the tomb of my
ancestors, that an imposter was lying
under false colors by the side of my
father and mother.
The first thing had to find out was
under what circumstances my body
had been identified. To do that l should
have to make inquiries; to find an ac-
count Of the inquest, perhaps to make
inquiries at the coroner'S Office or OF
the police
1 didn't relish doing that myself. I
had a strange fear that 1 might in
some way or other betray myself, or
be accidentally recognized. l should
have to give my name and address
to furnish proof, perhaps, of my right
to investigate the matter, and this was
exactly what / didn't want to do. l
could hardly go to an office and say,
Il want to find out under what circum-
stances Mr.. William Hengist Smith
died and was buried, because am Mr..
William Hengist Smith"
The man who has something to con-
ceal is 10th to start inquiries concern
ing himself, and had a good deal to
conceal.
In this dilemma I determined to go
to a professional inquiry agent-tO tell
him nothing about myself, but offer
him substantial sum for the infOrma-
ton l required. He could make the in
quiries, and that would save me going
to an official source.
went into a restaurant to get some
lunch, and asked for a Daily Telegraph.
| looked down the advertisements Of
the private detectives, and selected a
firm whose offices were in the Strand.
To them 1 went, and, giving no name,
asked to see the principal.
was ushered into a small room, and
a tall, thin, middle-aged man rose, bowed
to me, and mOtioned me to take
chair.
I stated the object of my visit in
few words.
I handed Mr.. Dash the certificate of
my death.
II want you to get me a full account
of the inquest held on this gentleman
if you cam said, "it is a very simple
matter, [ expect, but l am leaving
England in day or two, and [ want
it at once"
The agent looked at the certificate
and began to say that it would take
little time.
I stopped him.
knew enough of these agencies to
know that the longer job takes the
greater the profit because the expense
and fees are run up, so 1 replied that
would give lump sum, to be agreed
upon, directly the information was in
my possession.
Eventually Mr. Dash agreed that for
the sum of E25 he would get me full
particulars in couple of days.
He asked me my name and address.
/ told him that, for private reasons, l
preferred not to give them, but that l
would call personally and hand him the
f25 in return for his written report
VERY good" he said, and leaving the
certificate with him / took my de-
parture.
AS went out of the room he touched
bell on the table.
udu pass Tic
AS did so one of the clerks rose. /
thought he was going to answer his en-
ployer's bell, but he put on his hat and
went down the stairs in front Of me.
at once jumped to the conclusion
that the touching of the bell was sig
| nal to the outer office that l was to be
| followed. I had declined to give my
name, and the private inquiry agent
was anxious to know it.
Once outside in the street / crossed
| the road and pretended to look in q
| shop window.
l wanted to see if the clerk was
watching me. l gave a furtive glance
| to the left and to the right--he was
| nowhere to be seen.
Then / looked across the road and
saw him calling to n paper boy for
| Globe.
He bought the paper and went back
up stairs.
/ had been over suspicious. was
not to be followed, so / went straight
back to my hotel.
Cora was very glad to see me. 1t
| was the first time since we arrived in
London that l had left her for so long
| u time.
Now that 1 had put matters in train
. felt little relieved in my mind so
| determined to forget the mystery as
| much as possible and wait for the
leqouement. Cora found me quite my
old self that afternoon, and the next
| hay, in aFder to distract my mind |
llevoted to her and a round of sight
Eeeing.
Cora looked at me In blank surprise,
1 hastened to reassure her. / think
ht first she thought ] had gone sud-
denly mad.
1t was purely a little piece of senti-
ment on my part. 1t should be Il very
quiet wedding, not even in n church
just before q registrar. 1t was an odd
fancy of mine, that was all, but it
would please me very much if she
would consent.
Like the good, dutiful little woman
that she always was, she did consent,
and though / am sure that she still
looks back upon it as piece of sud
den insanity on my part, she went
! the registrar. ''"
1t never once crossed her mind
thank God, that she was being legally
married to me for the first time. and
God forbid that she SHOULD ever learn
It,
In due time our boy was born, and
when they laid him IN my arms, and
pressed my lips to his sweet baby face
l thanked God for his mercy in sending
light where hitherto all had been dark
ness.
When our boy was year old we
went back to Australia, and now we
have quite settled down there. 1t is
our home, and we are happy. Some
day, when our boy is grown np, we
may all come to Europe again together
but l hope to die and be buried in Aus
tralia, which is now my home.
It is this hope which reconciles me
to the fact that another man has taker
my place In the family grave at High
gate.
/ am afraid he will have to stoI
there, for 1t is impossible for me K
take any steps to remove him withou
drawing attention to the fact that
had q wife when / married Cora.
So, to all intents and purposes / an
still q dead man in England but al
some compensation for that I am the