Our visitor again passed his hand over his forehead, it bitterly hard From every gesture and expression I that reserved, self-contained man, with dash of pride nature, more likely to hide his wounds than to expose them Then suddenly, with fierce gesture closed hand, like one who throws reserve winds, he began

"The facts are these, Mr Holmes," said he " married man, and so for three years During my wife and loved as fondly and lived as happily as any two that ever were joined had difference, not one, in thought or word or deed And now, since last Monday, there has suddenly sprung up barrier , and something in her life and in her thought as little she were the woman who brushes by me street estranged, and why

"Now that to impress upon you before I go any further, Mr Holmes Effie loves me Don't let there be any mistake She loves me with her whole heart and soul, and never more than now it it I don't want to argue man can tell easily enough when woman loves him But there's this secret , and never be the same until cleared "

"Kindly let me have the facts, Mr Munro," said Holmes, with some impatience

"I'll tell you what about Effie's history She was widow when I met her first, though quite young--only twenty-five Her name then was Mrs Hebron She went out to America when she was young, and lived town of Atlanta, where she married this Hebron, who was lawyer with good practice They had one child, but the yellow fever broke out badly place, and both husband and child died of it his death certificate This sickened her of America, and she came back to live with maiden aunt at Pinner, in Middlesex mention that her husband had left her comfortably off, she had capital of about four thousand five hundred pounds, which invested by him returned an average of seven per cent She had only been six months at Pinner when I met her; we fell in love with , and we married few weeks afterwards

" hop merchant myself, and as an income of seven or eight hundred, ourselves comfortably off, and took nice eighty-pound-a-year villa at Norbury Our little place was very countrified, considering so close to town We had an inn and two houses little above us, and single cottage other side field which faces us, and except those there were no houses until you got half way station My business took me into town at certain seasons, but in summer I had less , and then country home my wife and I were just as happy as wished I tell you that there never was shadow until this accursed affair began

"There's I ought you before I go further When we married, my wife made over all her property --rather against my will, for how awkward it business affairs went wrong However, she it so, and it Well, about six she came

"'Jack,' said she, ' took my money you said that if ever any to '

"'Certainly,' said I 'It's all your own '

"'Well,' said she, ' hundred pounds '

" bit staggered , for I had imagined simply new dress or something kind that she was after

"'What on earth for ? ' I asked

"'Oh,' said she, in her playful way, 'you said that you were only my banker, and bankers never ask questions, '

"' really mean it, the money,' said I

"'Oh, yes, I really mean it '

"'And you won't tell me what it for ? '

"'Some day, perhaps, but not just at present, Jack '

"So I had content , thought it first time that there had ever been any secret her check, and I never thought any more matter It nothing with what came afterwards, but it only right to mention it

"Well, you just now cottage not far house just field , but to reach it along the road and then turn down lane Just beyond nice little grove of Scotch firs, and I used very fond of strolling down there, for trees are always neighbourly kind of things The cottage standing empty this eight months, and pity, for pretty two storied place, with an old-fashioned porch and honeysuckle stood many time and thought what neat little homestead it would make

"Well, last Monday evening taking stroll down that way, when I met an empty van coming up the lane, and saw pile of carpets and things lying about grass-plot beside the porch clear cottage had at last been let I walked past it, and wondered what sort of folk they were who had come to live so near us And as I looked I suddenly became aware that face was watching me out of upper windows

"I don't know what face, Mr Holmes, but it seemed to send chill right down my back some little way off, make out the features, but something unnatural and inhuman face That impression that I had, and I moved quickly forwards nearer view person who was watching me But as so the face suddenly disappeared, so suddenly seemed plucked away darkness room I stood for five minutes thinking the business over, and trying to analyse my impressions tell face were that of man or woman It too far from me But its colour was what had impressed me most of livid chalky white, and with something set and rigid shockingly unnatural So disturbed was I that I determined little more new inmates cottage I approached and knocked door, instantly opened by tall, gaunt woman with harsh, forbidding face

"'What may you be wantin' ? ' she asked, in Northern accent

"' your neighbour over yonder,' said I, nodding towards my house ' that only just moved in, so that if of any help in any--'

"'Ay, we'll just ask ye when ye,' said she, and shut the door in my face Annoyed churlish rebuff, I turned my back and walked home All evening, though I tried of other things, my mind would still turn apparition window rudeness woman I determined nothing former to my wife, for nervous, highly strung woman, and I had no wish that share the unpleasant impression which produced upon myself I remarked to her, however, before I fell asleep, cottage was now occupied, she returned no reply