public-house in Wapping, the landlady of which
hostelry at once declared the carte de visite to be a portrait of a
mysterious individual of huge bulk who had visited her on the night of
the previous Christmas day, stayed an hour in her parlour, and made
numerous inquiries after old inhabitants of Wapping. His inquiries
included the Schottlers, and he had particularly wanted the address
of the family of the late Mr. George Orton, a butcher in the High
Street, who answered the description of an old "neighbour of the
Schottlers." The Christmas day referred to was the very day of the
Claimant's arrival in England, and the landlady of the Globe was
positive that the portrait represented her visitor, whoever he might
have been. Moreover, she informed the gentleman that, struck by his
inquiries after the Ortons, she had scanned her mysterious visitor's
features closely, and observed, "Why, you must be an Orton; you are
very like the old gentleman." Three daughters of old George Orton were
then applied to, but they declared that the portrait had no
resemblance to any brother of theirs. Neighbours, however, had
perceived that these persons, who had been extremely poor, had
suddenly shown signs of greatly improved circumstances. Further
inquiry led to the discovery that they had a brother named Charles, "a
humpbacked man," who had been a butcher in a small way, in partnership
with a Mr. Woodgate, in Hermitage Street, Wapping. He had recently
dissolved partnership rather suddenly, but he had previously confided
to Mr. Woodgate the curious information that he had a brother just come
home from Australia, who was entitled to great property, and who had
promised him an allowance of "L5 a month," and L2000 "when he got his
estates." When, after some trouble, Charles Orton was discovered, he
showed signs of being disposed to explain the mystery "if the
solicitors" would promptly "make it worth his while;" but in the very
midst of the inquiry he suddenly vanished from the neighbourhood, and
for a long while all trace of him was lost. Meanwhile, the Claimant
had, by some mysterious means, become aware that these inquiries were
in progress, for he wrote at this period to his confidential friend
Rous, the landlord of the Swan, as follows:--"We find the other side
very busy with another pair of sisters for me. They say I was born in
Wapping. I never remember having been there, but Mr. Holmes tell me it a
very respectiabel part of London." Sho