ing his excitement by a great effort,
"what did you do with him?"

"We said to him that it would be necessary to take the advice of an
expert before we could make any movement; and, though he told us things
about old Johnson and Linkheaton, which it seemed almost impossible that
anyone but the right man could have known, we put him off till we had
seen you, and could make an appointment for you to examine the
tattooings. _They_ must be dealt with first, before any other
identification."

"I suppose you have made some other necessary inquiries? Did he say
why he was so late in answering the advertisement? It has been out for
several months."

"Yes, and that is rather in his favor," said Mr. Wright. "If he had been
an impostor on the lookout he would probably have come to us long ago.
But he has just returned from the Cape, where he had been out of the way
of newspapers, and he did not see the advertisement till he came across
it three or four days ago."

"Very well," said Barton. "Make an appointment with the man for any time
to-morrow, and I will be with you."

As he said this he looked very hard and significantly at the younger Mr.
Wright.

"Very good, sir; thank you. Shall we say at noon tomorrow?"

"With pleasure," answered Barton, still with his eye on the younger
partner.

He then said good-by, and was joined, as he had hoped, in the outer
office by young Wright.

"You had something to say to me?" asked the junior member of the firm.

"Several things," said Barton, smiling. "And first, would you mind
finding out whether the coast is clear--whether any one is watching for
me?"

"Watching for you! What do you mean?"

"Just take a look round the square, and tell me whether any suspicious
character is about."

Young Wright, much puzzled, put on his hat, and stood lighting a
cigarette on the outer steps.

"Not a soul in sight but lawyers' clerks," he reported.

"Very well; just tell your father that, as it is a fine morning, you are
taking a turn with me."

Barton's friend did as he wished, and presently the pair had some
serious conversation.

"I'll do exactly as you suggest, and explain to my father," said the
young lawyer as they separated.

"Thanks; it is so much easier for you to explain than for a stranger
like myself," said Barton, and strolled westward by way of Co vent
Garden.

At the noted establishment of Messrs. Aminadab, theatrical costumiers,
Barton stopped, went in, was engaged