member the man I had left behind me in that barren region
in which I had spent my youth? But he did not forget the misery I had
caused him. He followed me to New York; and on the morning I was married
found his way into the house, and mixing with the wedding guests,
suddenly appeared before me just as I was receiving the congratulations
of my friends. At sight of him I experienced all the terror he had
calculated upon causing, but remembering our old relations and my new
position, I assumed an air of apparent haughtiness. This irritated John
Graham. Flushing with anger, and ignoring my imploring look, he cried
peremptorily, 'Present me to your husband!' and I felt forced to present
him. But his name produced no effect upon Mr. Holmes. I had never told
him of my early experience with this man, and John Graham, perceiving
this, cast me a bitter glance of disdain and passed on, muttering
between his teeth, 'False to me and false to him! Your punishment be
upon you!' and I felt as if I had been cursed."

She stopped here, moved by emotions readily to be understood. Then with
quick impetuosity she caught up the thread of her story and went on.

"That was six months ago; and again I forgot. My mother died and my
husband soon absorbed my every thought. How could I dream that this man,
who was little more than a memory to me and scarcely that, was secretly
planning mischief against me? Yet this scrap about which we have talked
so much may have been the work of his hands; and even my husband's
death----"

She did not finish, but her face, which was turned towards me, spoke
volumes.

"Your husband's death shall be inquired into," I assured her. And she,
exhausted by the excitement of her discoveries, asked that she might be
excused from further discussion of the subject at that time.

As I had no wish, myself, to enter any more fully into the matter just
then, I readily acceded to her request, and the pretty widow left me.

II

Obviously the first fact to be settled was whether Mr. Holmes had died
from purely natural causes. I accordingly busied myself the next few
days with the question, and was fortunate enough to so interest the
proper authorities that an order was issued for the exhumation and
examination of the body.

The result was disappointing. No traces of poison were to be found in
the stomach nor was there to be seen on the body any mark of violence
with the exception of a minute prick upon one of his thumbs