It appeared that the life of the late Mark Vrain was on the books of the company for no less a sum than twenty thousand pounds; and under the will this was to be paid over to Lydia Vrain, _nee_ Clyne.

The widow, aided by her father--who was a shrewd business man, in spite of his innocent looks--and the family lawyer of the Vrains, went systematically to work to establish her own identity, the death of her husband, and her consequent right to the money.
The first thing to be done was to prove that the dead man was really Vrain.

There was some little difficulty in obtaining an order from the authorities for the opening of the grave and the exhumation of the body; but finally the consent of those in power was obtained, and there was little difficulty in the identification of the remains.

The lawyer, Mr.
Clyne, Mrs.Vrain herself, and several people brought up from Bath by the assurance company, swore that the corpse--buried under the false name of Berwin--was that of Mark Vrain, for decomposition had not proceeded so far but what the features could be recognised.

There was even no need to unwrap the body from its cerements, as the face itself, and the scar thereon, were quite sufficient for the friends of the deceased to swear to the corpse.