Augusta Huiell Seaman

“ She insisted that she couldn’t have done any better herself (which at first I resented a good deal; but, after all, Connie is quicker at a clever reply than I ever was or shall be!) and said that without telling the slightest bit of a falsehood I had thrown him completely off the track. I imagine it did just that, for regarding me with a rather baffled expression, and thanking me not very graciously, Mr. Cookson began to shuffle some papers on the library table, and I gathered that the interview was over. No one will ever realize with what relief I hurried out of the room and back to Connie. ”

“ But Connie, there are about forty mysteries that we can’t explain. How about the finding of the chest through your accident, and this secret passage he talks about, and where does old Cookson come into it all, and—”
“There’s one thing,” interrupted Connie, “that’s worrying me more than all these things. It’s this: did Uncle know of this letter before the other day? ”

“ Suffice it to say that now, after nearly twenty years, and partly owing to a severe and prolonged illness from which I shall never recover, I have been restored to my rightful identity and have discovered that I have for years been acting as a missionary here in Arcot, India. I have been, also, a number of years married and am the father of two fine boys of ten, twins, as we were, Azariah. But my wife has been dead over a year. ”

“ Cookson!” I parried. “What on earth could there be in that hole! Or who would think of looking into such a place!” I couldn’t have made a more fortunate reply, for he straightway began to flounder.
“Oh, er—ah—yes, of course!” he stuttered confusedly. “It must—er—seem extremely queer. Nevertheless—er—a very important—ah—yes, a vital matter hangs on this very curious—er—question I’m asking.”
“Vital—to whom?” I couldn’t help querying. Now that I had plunged into the thing, I rather enjoyed seeing his discomfort, and I was gaining courage every minute. ”