"
The next morning I went trouting alone, and did not return to the house
until afternoon. When I did so I found a note awaiting me.
It proved to be from my friend, and said that for special reasons he had
decided to return to the city that day. He was sorry not to see me
again, but hoped to do so before long. I, in turn, was quite anxious to
meet him again, and learn why he had returned so unexpectedly, and to
know the cause of his singular manner upon finding the rusty knife. The
two events were naturally connected in my mind, and also our previous
conversation when he had shown me the picture of the young lady.
Three weeks later I was in Boston, and almost at once visited Mr.
Gault's office at No.--Water street. To my disappointment, I learned
that he had just taken passage for England.
I hoped to see him when he returned, but was not destined to do so until
two years later.
Before relating my unexpected meeting with him in 1881, I must describe
a certain somewhat remarkable case which I was so fortunate as to have
put into my hands shortly after my return from the country.
II.
It was one day in October that a distinguished-looking gentleman of
about fifty-five entered my office, introduced himself as Mr.
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