for the advertisement was of his own composition), "I think
that leaves little ta be desired."

"It is admirable," said Barton--"admirable; but may I ask----"

"Where the tattooing comes in?" said Mr. Wright. "I am just approaching
_that_. The only person from whom we received any reliable information
about Richard Johnson was an old ship-mate of his, a wandering,
adventurous character, now, I believe, in Paraguay, where we cannot
readily communicate with him. According to his account, Johnson was an
ordinary seafaring man, tanned, and wearing a black beard, but easily to
be recognized for an excellent reason. _He was tattooed almost all over
his whole body_."

Barton nearly leaped out of his chair, the client's chair, so sudden a
light flashed on him.

"What is the matter, Dr. Barton! I _thought_ I should interest you; but
you seem quite excited."

"I really beg your pardon," said Barton. "It was automatic, I think;
besides, I _am_ extremely interested in tattooing."

"Then, sir, it is a pity you could not have seen Johnson. He appears,
from what our informant tells us, to have been a most remarkable
specimen. He had been tattooed by Australian blacks, by Burmese, by
Arabs, and, in a peculiar blue tint and to a particular pattern, by the
Dyacks of Borneo. We have here a rough chart, drawn by our informant, of
his principal decorations."

Here the lawyer solemnly unrolled a great sheet of drawing-paper, on
which was rudely outlined the naked figure of a man, filled up, on the
breast, thighs, and arms, with ornamental designs.

The guess which made Barton leap up had not been mistaken: he recognized
the tattooings he had seen on the dead body of Dicky Shields.

This confirmation of what he had conjectured, however, did not draw any
exclamation or mark of excitement from Barton, who was now on his guard.

"This is highly interesting," he said, as he examined the diagram; "and
I am sure, Mr. Wright, that it should not be difficult to recognize a
claimant with such remarkable peculiarities."

"No, sir; it is easy enough, and we have been able to dismiss scores
of sham Richard Johnsons. But one man presented himself the day before
yesterday--a rough sailor fellow, who went straight to the point; asked
if the man we wanted had any private marks; said he knew what they were,
and showed us his wrist, which exactly, as far as we could verify the
design, corresponded to that drawing."

"Well," asked Barton, controll