ge, and make abstracts of, certain private papers. The second
detail is, that I am speaking at the request of Judge Harvey, as his
associate and as the representative of the De Peyster family."

Judge Harvey felt his collar; Jack stared. But fortunately the room
was dim, and the reporters' eyes were all on the grave, candid face of
Mr. Pyecroft.

"Yes--yes," said the impatient Mayfair. "But out with the story!
What's doing?"

"Something that I think will surprise you," said Mr. Pyecroft.
"Something that has completely astounded all of us--particularly this
lady who is Mrs. De Peyster's housekeeper, and Miss Harmon, here, who
has just returned from a quiet summer in Maine to attend her cousin's
funeral. The fact is, gentlemen, to come right to the point, there is
to be no funeral."

"No funeral!" cried Mr. Mayfair.

"No funeral!" ran through the crowd.

"No funeral," repeated Mr. Pyecroft. "The reason, gentlemen, is that a
great mistake has been made. Mrs. De Peyster is not dead."

"Not dead!" exclaimed the reporters.

"If you desire proof, here it is." Mr. Pyecroft, stepping aside,
revealed the figure of Mrs. De Peyster. He put his right hand upon her
shoulder, gripping it tightly and holding her in her chair, and with
his left he lifted the thick veil above her face. "I believe that most
of you know Mrs. De Peyster, at least from her pictures."

"Mrs. De Peyster!" cried the staggered crowd. "Mrs. De Peyster
herself!"

"Mrs. De Peyster herself," repeated Mr. Pyecroft in his grave voice.
"You are surprised, but not more so than the rest of us."

"But that other Mrs. De Peyster--the one the funeral is for?" asked
Mr. Mayfair. "Who is she?"

"That, gentlemen, is as great a mystery to us as to any of you," said
Mr. Pyecroft.

"But how the--but how did it all happen?" ejaculated Mr. Mayfair.

"That is what I am going to tell you," Mr. Pyecroft answered.

Mrs. De Peyster struggled up.

"Don't--don't!" she besought him wildly.

Mr. Pyecroft pressed her back into her chair, and held her there with
an arm that was like a brace of steel.

"You see, gentlemen," he remarked sympathetically, "how this business
has upset her."

"Yes! But the explanation?"

"Immediately--word for word, as Mrs. De Peyster has just now told us,"
said he.

"Oh!" moaned Mrs. De Peyster.

Olivetta and Matilda gazed at Mr. Pyecroft with ghastly, loose-lipped
faces; Judge Harvey and Jack and Mary stared at him with an amazed
su