Produced by Col Choat. HTML version by Al Haines. The Mystery of a Hansom Cab by Fergus Hume CONTENTS I. WHAT THE ARGUS SAID. II. THE EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. III. ONE HUNDRED POUNDS REWARD. IV. MR. GORBY MAKES A START. V. MRS. HAMILTON UNBOSOMS HERSELF. VI. MR. GORBY MAKES FURTHER DISCOVERIES. VII. THE WOOL KING. VIII. BRIAN TAKES A WALK AND A DRIVE. IX. MR. GORBY IS SATISFIED AT LAST. X. IN THE QUEEN'S NAME. XI. COUNSEL FOR THE PRISONER. XII. SHE WAS A TRUE WOMAN. XIII. MADGE MAKES A DISCOVERY. XIV. ANOTHER RICHMOND IN THE FIELD. XV. A WOMAN OF THE PEOPLE. XVI. MISSING. XVII. THE TRIAL. XVIII. SAL RAWLINS TELLS ALL SHE KNOWS. XIX. THE VERDICT OF THE JURY. XX. THE "ARGUS" GIVES ITS OPINION. XXI. THREE MONTHS AFTERWARDS. XXII. A DAUGHTER OF EVE. XXIII. ACROSS THE WALNUTS AND THE WINE. XXIV. BRIAN RECEIVES A LETTER. XXV. WHAT DR. CHINSTON SAID. XXVI. KILSIP HAS A THEORY OF HIS OWN. XXVII. MOTHER GUTTERSNIPE JOINS THE MAJORITY. XXVIII. MARK FRETTLBY HAS A VISITOR. XXIX. MR. CALTON'S CURIOSITY IS SATISFIED. XXX. NEMESIS. XXXI. HUSH-MONEY. XXXII. DE MORTUIS NIL NISI BONUM. XXXIII. THE CONFESSION. XXXIV. THE HANDS OF JUSTICE. XXXV. "THE LOVE THAT LIVES." PREFACE In its original form, "The Mystery of a Hansom Cab" has reached the sale of 375,000 copies in this country, and some few editions in the United States of America. Notwithstanding this, the present publishers have the best of reasons for believing, that there are thousands of persons whom the book has never reached. The causes of this have doubtless been many, but chief among them was the form of the publication itself. It is for this section of the public chiefly that the present edition is issued. In placing it before my new readers, I have been asked by the publishers thoroughly to revise the work, and, at the same time, to set at rest the many conflicting reports concerning it and myself, which have been current since its initial issue. The first of these requests I have complied with, and the many typographic, and other errors, which disfigured the first edition, have, I think I can safely say, now disappeared. The second request I am about to fulfil; but, in order to do so, I must ask my readers to go back with me to the beginning of all things, so far as this special book is concerned.