the money as should
satisfy the person that he was in no danger of finding himself brought
within reach of the law. The answer to these two proposals was
directed to be made through the medium of an advertisement in the local
newspaper--distinguished by this address, "To a Friend in the Dark."

Certain turns of expression, and one or two mistakes in spelling,
pointed to this insolent letter as being, in all probability, the
production of a Scotchman, in the lower ranks of life. Mrs. Glenarm had
at once shown it to her nearest relative, Captain Newenden. The captain
had sought legal advice in Perth. It had been decided, after due
consideration, to insert the advertisement demanded, and to
take measures to entrap the writer of the letter into revealing
himself--without, it is needless to add, allowing the fellow really to
profit by his attempted act of extortion.

The cunning of the "Friend in the Dark" (whoever he might be) had, on
trying the proposed experiment, proved to be more than a match for the
lawyers. He had successfully eluded not only the snare first set for
him, but others subsequently laid. A second, and a third, anonymous
letter, one more impudent than the other had been received by Mrs.
Glenarm, assuring that lady and the friends who were acting for her that
they were only wasting time and raising the price which would be asked
for the correspondence, by the course they were taking. Captain Newenden
had thereupon, in default of knowing what other course to pursue,
appealed publicly to the city magistrates, and a reward had been
offered, under the sanction of the municipal authorities, for the
discovery of the man. This proceeding also having proved quite
fruitless, it was understood that the captain had arranged, with the
concurrence of his English solicitors, to place the matter in the hands
of an experienced officer of the London police.

Here, so far as the newspaper correspondent was aware, the affair rested
for the present.

It was only necessary to add, that Mrs. Glenarm had left the
neighborhood of Perth, in order to escape further annoyance; and had
placed herself under the protection of friends in another part of the
county. Mr. Geoffrey Delamayn, whose fair fame had been assailed (it
was needless, the correspondent added in parenthesis, to say how
groundlessly), was understood to have expressed, not only the
indignation natural under the circumstances but also his extreme regret
at not find