en brought back. Those
differences were too minute to be described. He could not say of
course that she was absolutely altered in height or shape or
complexion, or in the colour of her hair and eyes, or in the general
form of her face--the change was something that he felt more than
something that he saw. In short, the case had been a puzzle from the
first, and one more perplexity was added to it now.

It cannot be said that this conversation led to the result of even
partially preparing Miss Halcombe's mind for what was to come. But it
produced, nevertheless, a very serious effect upon her. She was so
completely unnerved by it, that some little time elapsed before she
could summon composure enough to follow the proprietor of the Asylum to
that part of the house in which the inmates were confined.

On inquiry, it turned out that the supposed Anne Catherick was then
taking exercise in the grounds attached to the establishment. One of
the nurses volunteered to conduct Miss Halcombe to the place, the
proprietor of the Asylum remaining in the house for a few minutes to
attend to a case which required his services, and then engaging to join
his visitor in the grounds.

The nurse led Miss Halcombe to a distant part of the property, which
was prettily laid out, and after looking about her a little, turned
into a turf walk, shaded by a shrubbery on either side. About half-way
down this walk two women were slowly approaching. The nurse pointed to
them and said, "There is Anne Catherick, ma'am, with the attendant who
waits on her. The attendant will answer any questions you wish to
put." With those words the nurse left her to return to the duties of
the house.

Miss Halcombe advanced on her side, and the women advanced on theirs.
When they were within a dozen paces of each other, one of the women
stopped for an instant, looked eagerly at the strange lady, shook off
the nurse's grasp on her, and the next moment rushed into Miss
Halcombe's arms. In that moment Miss Halcombe recognised her
sister--recognised the dead-alive.

Fortunately for the success of the measures taken subsequently, no one
was present at that moment but the nurse. She was a young woman, and
she was so startled that she was at first quite incapable of
interfering. When she was able to do so her whole services were
required by Miss Halcombe, who had for the moment sunk altogether in
the effort to keep her own senses under the shock of the discovery.