“Who is this man?” demanded the principal trustee, unable fully to comprehend the situation, though he could not help seeing that a tremendous change had suddenly come over the face of affairs in the Hungerford family. “This gentleman is Mr. Eliot Buckstone; he is the legal husband of the lady who has hitherto been known as Mrs. Eugene Hungerford.” “Can this be true?” “She is my wife,” said Eliot Buckstone, hardly raising his eyes from the floor, upon which he had gazed intently from the moment he entered the room. Ross Kingman stepped forward and looked at him. The murdered man was certainly alive. The grave in the old cemetery contained not the remains of Eliot Buckstone. The stain of blood no longer rested upon the brother of Mary. No one doubted the facts, and busy minds were eagerly seeking the solution of the problem. All looked at Dr. Lynch. There was a new chapter in the dark history of the murder yet to be read, and the popular physician was the only man to whom they could look for a translation. “Mary, I have done all my evil work now,” said Buckstone, looking towards Eugene’s wife. “Do not shrink from me. I will leave you now, and you shall never see my face again.” “Was this person legally married to Mrs. Hungerford?” asked Mr. Lester. “She has her marriage certificate and an attested copy of the records,” interposed the doctor. “And this was the reason why you were so anxious to establish the legality of her marriage,” said Eugene, bitterly. Dr. Lynch bowed coldly, while a devil’s smile gleamed upon his face. “Mr. Lester, are you satisfied?” demanded he. “No one seems to dispute your astounding declarations,” answered the trustee. “No one can dispute them, sir.” “Villain, scoundrel, knave, as I took this man to be, I never deemed him capable of such refined rascality as this,” exclaimed Dick Birch. “Mr. Birch, your opinions are entirely gratuitous,” sneered the doctor. “You are a legal gentleman; if you have anything to say in defence of your friends’ case, why don’t you say it?--not waste your breath in idle vituperation.” “I am confounded by the measure of villany to which you have attained.” “These are not arguments, Mr. Birch,” said the doctor, stiffly. “The best argument for you would be a hemp rope,” added Dick, stepping out into the middle of the floor. “I wish to be a gentleman and a Christian, but I never was so tempted to take a man by the throat as I am at this moment.” “Mr. Birch, I do not aspire to be a common blackguard. I cannot hope to reach your heights in that capacity.” Dr. Lynch was very angry, but he tried to look dignified and contemptuous. “Mr. Lester,” he continued, “I am willing to answer any questions affecting the matter at issue; but no doubts seem to be raised in regard to the truth of my assertions. I therefore protest against further proceedings in this settlement, and claim the half million which belongs to me by the terms of my step-father’s will.”