I found Mary Simms.

"They do not know me under that name," she said with a mournful smile,
and again extended, then withdrew, her hand.

"Sit down," she went on to say, after a nervous pause. "I am alone now;
told I adjure you, if you have still one latent feeling of old kindness
for me, explain your words of yesterday to me."

I muttered something to the effect that I had no explanation to give. No
words could be truer; I had not the slightest conception what to say.

"Yes, I am sure you have; you must, you will," pursued Mary excitedly;
"you have some knowledge of that matter."

"What matter?" I asked.

"Why, the insurance," she replied impatiently. "You know well what I
mean. My mind has been distracted about it. Spite of myself, terrible
suspicions have forced themselves on me. No; I don't mean that," she
cried, suddenly checking herself and changing her tone; "don't heed
what I said; it was madness in me to say what I did. But do, do, do tell
me all you know."

The request was a difficult one to comply with, for I knew nothing. It
is impossible to say what might have been the end of this strange
interview, in which I began to feel myself an unwilling impostor; but
suddenly Mary started.

"The noise of the latchkey in the lock!" she cried, alarmed; "He has
returned; he must not see you; you must come another time. Here, here,
be quick! I'll manage him."

And before I could utter another word she had pushed me into the back
drawing-room and closed the door. A man's step on the stairs; then
voices. The man was begging Mary to come out with him, as the day was so
fine. She excused herself; he would hear no refusal. At last she
appeared to consent, on condition that the man would assist at her
toilet. There was a little laughter, almost hysterical on the part of
Mary, whose voice evidently quivered with trepidation.

Presently both mounted the upper stairs. Then the thought stuck me that
I had left my hat in the front room--a sufficient cause for the woman's
alarm. I opened the door cautiously, seized my hat, and was about to
steal down the stairs, when I was again spellbound by that numb cold.

"Stay!" said the voice. I staggered back to the other room with my hat,
and closed the door.

Presently the couple came down. Mary was probably relieved by
discovering that my hat was no longer there, and surmised that I had
departed; for I heard her laughing as they went down the lower flight.
Then I heard them