Mr.Dark guessed what was passing in my mind, and, telling me to sit down and make myself comfortable, volunteered of his own accord to inform me of all that I wanted to know.
"When I got my instructions and my statement of particulars," he began, "I was not at all surprised to hear that Mr.James Smith had come back.
(I prophesied that, if you remember, William, the last time we met ?) But I was a good deal astonished, nevertheless, at the turn things had taken, and I can't say I felt very hopeful about finding our man.
However, I followed my master's directions, and put the advertisement in the papers.

It addressed Mr.James Smith by name, but it was very carefully worded as to what was wanted of him.

Two days after it appeared, a letter came to our office in a woman's handwriting.

It was my business to open the letters, and I opened that.

The writer was short and mysterious.