l baffled by the difficulties of the problem, I will
give them an additional 'light': _Since that year there has been no
weather like it_.

Answers may be sent to the Puzzle Editor of _Truth_.

Day by day Philippa grew better and better. This appears to be the
usual result, of excessively seasonable weather acting on a constitution
previously undermined by bigamy, murder, and similar excesses.

I spare all technical summary of the case, sufficient to say that this
was one of the rare instances in which the mind, totally unhinged, is
restored to its balance by sixty drops of laudanum taken fasting, with a
squeeze of lemon, after violent exercise on an empty stomach.

The case is almost unique; but, had things fallen out otherwise, this
story could never have been got ready in time to romp in before the
other Christmas Annuals.

Matters would have become really _too_ complicated!

As Philippa recovered, it became more and more evident even to the most
dilatory mind that the sooner she left the scene of her late unrehearsed
performance the better.

The baronet had not yet been missed--indeed, he never _was_ missed, and
that is one of the very most remarkable points in the whole affair.

When he _did_ come to be missed, however, he would naturally be sought
for in the neighbourhood of the most recent and attractive of his wives.

That wife was Philippa.

Everything pointed to instant flight.

But how was I to get Philippa to see this? _Ex hypothesi_ she knew
nothing of the murder. On the other hand, all her pure, though
passionate nature would revolt against sharing my home longer than was
necessary. But would not the same purity prevent her from accompanying
me abroad?

Brother and sister we had called ourselves but Philippa had never been
the dupe of this terminology.

Besides, was not her position, in any case, just a little shady?

An idea now occurred to me for the first time. Many men would long ere
now have asked their mothers to _chaperon_ them. It flashed across me
that I had a mother.

He who says 'mother' says 'chaperon.'

I would take my Philippa to my mother. Philippa was now completely
convalescent.

I can only attribute my lingering to the sense of fatality that all
things would come round and be all square.

Love I had laid aside till I could see my way a little clearer in
the certainly perplexing combination of circumstances. Nevertheless,
Philippa, I say it advisedly, seemed to me a