under medical care。 This conclusion （as I afterward heard） was greatly strengthened by the fact that Mr。 Varleigh's body had not been found on the reported scene of the duel。 As to the servant； he had deserted his master in London； and had never reappeared。 So far as my poor judgment went； the question before me was not of delivering a self…accused murderer to justice （with no corpse to testify against him）； but of restoring an insane man to the care of the persons who had been appointed to restrain him。
I tried to test the strength of his delusion in an interval when he was not urging his shocking entreaties on Miss Laroche。 〃How do you know that you killed Mr。 Varleigh？〃 I said。
He looked at me with a wild terror in his eyes。 Suddenly he lifted his right hand； and shook it in the air； with a moaning cry； which was unmistakably a cry of pain。 〃Should I see his ghost；〃 he asked； 〃if I had not killed him？ I know it； by the pain that wrings me in the hand that stabbed him。 Always in my right hand！ always the same pain at the moment when I see him！〃 He stopped and ground his teeth in the agony and reality of his delusion。 〃Look！〃 he cried。 〃Look between the two trees behind you。 There he iswith his dark hair； and his shaven face； and his steady look！ There he is； standing before me as he stood in the wood； with his eyes on my eyes； and his sword feeling mine！〃 He turned to Miss Laroche。 〃Do _you_ see him too？〃 he asked eagerly。 〃Tell me the truth。 My whole life depends on your telling me the truth。〃
She controlled herself with a wonderful courage。 〃I don't see him；〃 she answered。
He took out his handkerchief； and passed it over his face with a gasp of relief。 〃There is my last chance！〃 he said。 〃If she will be true to meif she will be always near me； morning； noon； and night； I shall be released from the sight of him。 See！ he is fading away already！ Gone！〃 h e cried； with a scream of exultation。 He fell on his knees； and looked at Miss Laroche like a savage adoring his idol。 〃Will you cast me off now？〃 he asked； humbly。 〃Lionel was fond of you in his lifetime。 His spirit is a merciful spirit。 He shrinks from frightening you； he has left me for your sake； he will release me for your sake。 Pity me； take me to live with youand I shall never see him again！〃
It was dreadful to hear him。 I saw that the poor girl could endure no more。 〃Leave us；〃 I whispered to her； 〃I will join you at the house。
He heard me； and instantly placed himself between us。 〃Let her promise； or she shan't go。〃
She felt； as I felt； the imperative necessity of saying anything that might soothe him。 At a sign from me she gave him her promise to return。
He was satisfiedhe insisted on kissing her hand； and then he let her go。 I had by this time succeeded in inducing him to trust me。 He proposed； of his own accord； that I should accompany him to the inn in the village at which he had been staying。 The landlord （naturally enough distrusting his wretched guest） had warned him that morning to find some other place of shelter。 I engaged to use my influence with the man to make him change his purpose； and I succeeded in effecting the necessary arrangements for having the poor wretch properly looked after。 On my return to my own house； I wrote to a brother magistrate living near me； and to the superintendent of our county asylum； requesting them to consult with me on the best means of lawfully restraining Captain Stanwick until we could communicate with his relations。 Could I have done more than this？ The event of the next morning answered that questionanswered it at once and forever。
III。
PRESENTING myself at Nettlegrove Hall toward sunset； to take charge of Miss Laroche； I was met by an obstacle in the shape of a protest from her aunt。
This good lady had been informed of the appearance of Captain Stanwick in the park； and she strongly disapproved of encouraging any further communication with him on the part of her niece。 She also considered that I had failed in my duty in still leaving the Captain at liberty。 I told her that I was only waiting to act on the advice of competent persons； who would arrive the next day to consult with me； and I did my best to persuade her of the wisdom of the course that I had taken in the meantime。 Miss Laroche； on her side； was resolved to be true to the promise that she had given。 Between us； we induced her aunt to yield on certain conditions。
〃I know the part of the park in which the meeting is to take place；〃 the old lady said； 〃it is my niece's favorite walk。 If she is not brought back to me in half an hour's time； I shall send the men…servants to protect her。〃
The twilight was falling when we reached the appointed place。 We found Captain Stanwick angry and suspicious； it was not easy to pacify him on the subject of our delay。 His insanity seemed to me to be now more marked than ever。 He had seen； or dreamed of seeing； the ghost during the past night。 For the first time （he said） the apparition of the dead man had spoken to him。 In solemn words it had condemned him to expiate his crime by giving his life for the life that he had taken。 It had warned him not to insist on marriage with Bertha Laroche： 〃She shall share your punishment if she shares your life。 And you shall know it by this sign_She shall see me as you see me。_
I tried to compose him。 He shook his head in immovable despair。 〃No；〃 he answered； 〃if she sees him when I see him； there ends the one hope of release that holds me to life。 It will be good…by between us； and good…by forever！〃
We had walked on； while we were speaking； to a part of the park through which there flowed a rivulet of clear water。 On the further bank； the open ground led down into a wooded valley。 On our side of the stream rose a thick plantation of fir…trees intersected by a winding path。 Captain Stanwick stopped as we reached the place。 His eyes rested； in the darkening twilight； on the narrow space pierced by the path among the trees。 On a sudden he lifted his right hand； with the same cry of pain which we had heard before； with his left hand he took Miss Laroche by the arm。 〃There！〃 he said。 〃Look where I look！ Do you see him there？〃
As the words passed his lips； a dimly…visible figure appeared； advancing toward us along the path。
Was it the figure of a living man？ or was it the creation of my own excited fancy？ Before I could ask myself the question； the man advanced a step nearer to us。 A last gleam of the dying light fell on his face through an opening in the trees。 At the same instant Miss Laroche started back from Captain Stanwick with a scream of terror。 She would have fallen if I had not been near enough to support her。 The Captain was instantly at her side again。 〃Speak！〃 he cried。 〃Do _you_ see it； too？〃
She was just able to say 〃Yes〃 before she fainted in my arms。
He stooped over her； and touched her cold cheek with his lips。 〃Goodby！〃 he said； in tones suddenly and strangely changed to the most exquisite tenderness。 〃Good…by； forever！〃
He leaped the rivulet； he crossed the open ground； he was lost to sight in the valley beyond。
As he disappeared； the visionary man among the fir…trees advanced； passed in silence； crossed the rivulet at a bound； and vanished as the figure of the Captain had vanished before him。
I was left alone with the swooning woman。 Not a sound； far or near； broke the stillness of the coming night。
No 5。Mr。 Frederic Darnel； Member of the College of Surgeons； testifies and says：
IN the intervals of my professional duty I am accustomed to occupy myself in studying Botany； assisted by a friend and neighbor； whose tastes in this respect resemble my own。 When I can spare an hour or two from my patients； we go out together searching for specimens。 Our favorite place is Herne Wood。 It is rich in material for the botanist； and it is only a mile distant from the village in which I live。
Early in July； my friend and I made a discovery in the wood of a very alarming and unexpected kind。 We found a man in the clearing； prostrated by a dangerous wound； and to all appearance dead。
We carried him to the gamekeeper's cottage on the outskirts of the woods； and on the side of it nearest to our village。 He and his boy were out； but the light cart in which he makes his rounds； in the remoter part of his master's property； was in the outhouse。 While my friend was putting the horse to； I examined the stranger's wound。 It had been quite recently inflicted； and I doubted whether it had （as yet； at any rate） really killed him。 I did what I could with the linen and cold water which the gamekeeper's wife offered to me； and then my friend and I removed him carefully to my house in the cart。 I applied the necessary restoratives； and I had the pleasure of satisfying myself that the vital powers had revived。 He was perfectly unconscious； of course； but the action of the heart became distinctly perceptible； and I had hopes。
In a few days more I felt fairly sure of him。 Then the usual fever set in。 I was obliged； in justice to his friends； to search his clothes in presence of a witness。 We found his handkerchief； his purse； and his cigar…case； and nothing more。 No letters or visiting cards； nothing marked on his clothes but initials。 There was no help for it but to wait to identify him until he could speak。
When that time came； he acknowledged to me that he had divested himself purposely of any clew to his identity； in the fear （if some mischance happened to him） of the news of it reaching his father and mother abruptly； by means of the newspapers。 He had sent a letter to his bankers in London； to be forwarded to his parents； if the bankers neither saw him nor heard from him in a month's time。 His first act was to withdraw this letter。 The other particulars which he communicated to me are； I am told； already known。 I need only add that I willingly kept his secret； simply speaking of him in the neighborhood as a traveler from foreign parts who had met with an accident。
His convalescence was a long one。 It was the beginning of Octob er before he was completely restored to health。 When he left us he went to London。 He behaved most liberally to me； and we parted with sincere good wishes on either side。
No。 6。_Mr。 Lionel Varleigh； of Bost