THE THIRD VOLUME THE THIRD VOLUME BY FERGUS HUME _Author of "The Lone Inn," "The Mystery of a Hansom Cab," "The Chinese Jar," Etc._ NEW YORK THE CASSELL PUBLISHING CO. 31 EAST 17TH STREET (UNION SQUARE) COPYRIGHT, 1894, BY FERGUS HUME. COPYRIGHT, 1895, BY THE CASSELL PUBLISHING CO. _All rights reserved._ THE MERSHON COMPANY PRESS, RAHWAY, N. J. Oh, mothers, wisely sang ye, When oft we went astray, "Ye weave the ropes to hang ye, Ye forge the swords to slay." The ropes we wove so gladly, Have robbed us of our breath, The swords we forged so madly, Have smitten us to death. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. AN OLD FRIEND, 1 II. A MYSTERIOUS COMMUNICATION, 10 III. THE REVELATION OF FRANCIS HILLISTON, 19 IV. WHAT OCCURRED AT HORRISTON, 27 V. A STRANGE COINCIDENCE, 37 VI. TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION, 45 VII. "LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE," 52 VIII. BOTH SIDES OF THE QUESTION, 61 IX. MRS. BEZEL, 67 X. A FEW FACTS CONNECTED WITH THE CASE, 78 XI. A STARTLING DISCOVERY, 86 XII. REVELATIONS, 94 XIII. ON THE TRACK, 102 XIV. THE UPPER BOHEMIA, 109 XV. A POPULAR AUTHOR, 117 XVI. A FALSE MOVE, 124 XVII. THE HUSBAND AT KENSINGTON GORE, 131 XVIII. A DUEL OF WORDS, 138 XIX. TAIT BRINGS NEWS, 147 XX. A PRÉCIS OF THE CASE, 154 XXI. THORSTON, 160 XXII. IN THE CHURCH, 168 XXIII. FACT AND FICTION, 175 XXIV. A NEW SUSPICION, 182 XXV. THE RECLUSE, 192 XXVI. AN OLD SERVANT, 200