o come and tell my father something about me, and I insist
that you tell me here, and at once, what it is of which I am
accused."

He instinctively looked at his father for support, and received it in
full measure, for at once the old man spoke. "Yes, Lane, I think my
son is right; there's no use in making any more mystery about the
matter. I'm sure that the letters you have brought to show Theodore
will puzzle him as much as they have me, and that he will be able to
assure you that he has no clue either to their contents or to their
writer."

Very slowly, with a feeling of genuine grief and shame for the man who
seemed to feel neither sorrow nor shame, Major Lane held out the
folded paper, and then again, in very pity, he looked away as his old
friend's son eagerly unrolled the piece of foolscap, placing it close
under the lampshade in order that he might thoroughly master its
contents.

As Theodore Carden completed the trifling action, that of unrolling
the piece of paper which was to solve the mystery, he noted, with a
curious feeling of relief, that the documents (or were they letters?)
regarded by the Head Constable as so damnatory, were but two, the
first of some length, the second consisting of a very few lines, both
copied in the fair round hand of Major Lane's confidential clerk.

And then, with no premonitory warning, Carden became the victim of a
curious physical illusion. Staring down at the long piece of blue
paper, he found that he was only able to master the signature, in both
cases the same, with which each letter terminated. Sometimes only one
word, one name--that of _Pansy_--stood out clearly, and then again he
seemed only to see the other word, the other name--that of _Garvice_.
The two names appeared to play hide-and-seek with one another, to leap
out alternately and smite his eyes, pressing and printing themselves
upon his brain.

At last, while he was still staring silently, obstinately, at the
black lines dancing before him, he heard the words, and they seemed to
be coming from a long way off, "Theodore! Oh, my boy, what is the
matter?" and then Major Lane's voice, full of rather angry concern,
"Rouse yourself, Carden, you are frightening your father."

"Am I?" he said dully, "I mustn't do that"; then, handing back the
sheet of foolscap to the Head Constable, he said hoarsely, "I can't
make them out. Will you read them to me?" And Major Lane, in
passionless accents, read aloud the two lett