"The name by which the young woman is known is The Duchess of Rosemary Lane. "The man who is passing himself upon her as Arthur Temple is your valet, James Kingsford. You will thus perceive that Ned Chester, James Kingsford, and the fictitious Arthur Temple, are one and the same person. "It is this person, also, who has uttered the forged cheques, and who has stolen the missing jewelry. "This report is longer than I desired, but to place you in possession of all the particulars, I have found it impossible to abbreviate it." The receipt of this communication caused Arthur Temple great excitement. It appeared to him that it was the real commencement of his life's experience. The loss of the money, and the discovery of the man who had robbed him, did not so much affect him as that portion of the narrative which related to the beautiful girl whom Ned Chester was deceiving. His imagination was stirred, and his chivalrous heart prompted him to defend and save her. He went at once in search of Richards, with the man's statement in his hand, and plunged immediately into the subject. "I have no reason to doubt the truth of your report, Richards." "You need have none, sir." "It _is_ true?" "Every word of it." "How have you obtained so much information in as short a time?" "My method--if you will excuse my saying so much--is my own." "Undoubtedly. Perhaps you have had some conversation with the rogue who robbed me." "I have; he is not aware of the position I hold with respect to your father and yourself." "The means in this case," said Arthur Temple, in a tone of slight dissatisfaction, "possibly justified the end." "You must judge of that for yourself, sir. I have no doubt in my mind." "You have seen the person who has brought up this girl?" "I have; and have had some talk with him. His name is Seth Dumbrick; he lives in Rosemary Lane." "That accounts, then, for the whimsical title of the girl." "Possibly, sir." "You have seen her?" "I have." "And, she is, as you say, pretty?" "I have not used the word pretty. She is beautiful." "Richards," said Arthur Temple, with excitement, "the girl must be saved!" Richards did not reply. He was a practical man, and was not given to sentimental action on the spur of the moment. "It is my duty," continued Arthur, "to save her. Will you assist me?" Richards hesitated. The reports he had written to Mr. Temple and Arthur were straightforward and to the point. In so far, he had done his duty. But there was a matter he had not touched upon in those reports--a discovery he had made which had astonished and perplexed him.