very shrewd fellow--that he
had guessed the true state of the case. He paused for a moment as if
awaiting a confidence from me, but I could not see what was to be
gained by exposing such a family scandal.

"Yes, a very curious coincidence," he continued, with the same knowing
look. "Of course, you are aware that your cousin Everard King was the
next heir to the estates. Now, if it had been you instead of him who
had been torn to pieces by this tiger, or whatever it was, then of
course he would have been Lord Southerton at the present moment."

"No doubt," said I.

"And he took such an interest in it," said Summers. "I happen to know
that the late Lord Southerton's valet was in his pay, and that he used
to have telegrams from him every few hours to tell him how he was
getting on. That would be about the time when you were down there.
Was it not strange that he should wish to be so well informed, since he
knew that he was not the direct heir?"

"Very strange," said I. "And now, Summers, if you will bring me my
bills and a new cheque-book, we will begin to get things into order."

Tales of Mystery

The Lost Special

The confession of Herbert de Lernac, now lying under sentence of death
at Marseilles, has thrown a light upon one of the most inexplicable
crimes of the century--an incident which is, I believe, absolutely
unprecedented in the criminal annals of any country: Although there is
a reluctance to discuss the matter in official circles, and little
information has been given to the Press, there are still indications
that the statement of this arch-criminal is corroborated by the facts,
and that we have at last found a solution for a most astounding
business. As the matter is eight years old, and as its importance was
somewhat obscured by a political crisis which was engaging the public
attention at the time, it may be as well to state the facts as far as
we have been able to ascertain them. They are collated from the
Liverpool papers of that date, from the proceedings at the inquest upon
John Slater, the engine-driver, and from the records of the London and
West Coast Railway Company, which have been courteously put at my
disposal. Briefly, they are as follows:

On the 3rd of June, 1890, a gentleman, who gave his name as Monsieur
Louis Caratal, desired an interview with Mr. James Bland, the
superintendent of the London and West Coast Central Station in
Liverpool. He was a small man, middl