Year: 1860

asmuch as poor Bessie, on every trihing Oc.
casion, viz: when George travelled by rail-
way-pictured to mind the most awful &C.
cidents, or, if he was half an hour late to
dinner, felt calm certainty that something
had happened, so did she now resolve that
nothing could be wrong, in proportion as
real reasons for alarm increased, inasmuch
that as they became almost certainties to
the rejecting masculine mind, so did they
diminish to this unreasoning little woman.
In fact, she dared not admit the idea into
her mind she resolutely excluded it, stead
fastly clinging to that lightest bubble of
hope in her sea of doubt, and resolved that
darling George would be restored to her
arms in good time. 1t could not be in ma
ture or in providence that one she loved so
well should never look upon her face again
So her heart reasoned. ........


At length, however, arrived the steamer
itself, without Richardson. 1t was then as
certained that no one answering the descrip.
tion had sailed in her. His trunk, purpose
ly left undirected in order to maintain the
secrecy of his journey, was found on board.
The members of the firm were now fully con-
vinced that some fatal accident had hap
pened to him. They sent for Bessie's broth
er, begged him to break the matter to his
sister, promising on their part to leave no
stone unturned to clear up the mystery that
hung upcn ner husbands disappearance.


We purposely pass over the horror, the
incredulity and the despair which followed
one another in poor Bessie's mind when the
facts broke with full force upon her. The
feelings of the bereaved wife must be sacred


Meanwhile. the partners set every engine
to work to discover the truth. Detective
officers came to and fro, examined and cross
examined with ceaseless activity, following
up the scent like hounds. The facts by
degrees unfolded themselves, and it became
evident that Richardson must have been
drowned that night of the fog on hs way to
the ship.


But what became of the body? More
restlessness of detectives, and further cir
cumstances were relived of their vail of
mystery. A drowned man had certainly
been found the very morning after bis
disappearance. The body was traced to
the inquest, the records of that inquiry
looked up, and all doubt removed that the
remains there represented as those of Mac
farlane were in reality none other than those
of poor Richardson. There was no posi-
bility of direct Identification at this distance
of time, but record of the articles found
on the body (which had been given up to
Woodley) had been preserved at the police
office, and were identified by the wretched
wife as the contents of her husbands pockets
on that fatal day. But who and where was
Woodley? What interest could be have
in falsely swearing to the body? Was it a
conspiracy or a mistake? More tracing of
evidence; and now was found memoran-
dun in the registry, that the insurance
company had asked for information con-
corning the deceased, and received copy of
the entry. This was fresh clue light
broke in upon the darkness which had
hitherto surrounded the inquiry. The
insurance company were communicated with,
and having investigated the facts, came to
the irresistible conclusion that their client,
Macfarlane, had undoubtedly given evidence
Of bis own decease, and was in the society
of Mrs. Mac-who had completely recovered
from her irdispositon-enjoying good
slice of the company's capital in some foreign
country.