Therethenameofthewidowwas，unquestionably；figuringforthesecondtimeintype，inaletterofthegossipingsort，suppliedbyan“OccasionalCorrespondent，“anddistinguishedbythetitleof“SayingsandDoingsintheNorth。“Aftertattlingpleasantlyoftheprospectsoftheshootingseason，ofthefashionsfromParis，ofanaccidenttoatourist，andofascandalintheScottishKirk，thewriterproceededtothenarrativeofacaseofinterest，relatingtoamarriageinthesphereknowninthelanguageoffootmenasthesphereof“highlife。“
ConsiderablesensationthecorrespondentannouncedhadbeencausedinPerthanditsneighborhood，bytheexposureofananonymousattemptatextortion，ofwhichaladyofdistinctionhadlatelybeenmadetheobject。Ashernamehadalreadybeenpubliclymentionedinanapplicationtothemagistrates，therecouldbenoimproprietyinstatingthattheladyinquestionwasMrs。Glenarm——whoseapproachingunionwiththeHonorableGeoffreyDelamaynwasalludedtoinanothercolumnofthejournal。
Mrs。Glenarmhad，itappeared，receivedananonymousletter，onthefirstdayofherarrivalasguestatthehouseofafriend，residingintheneighborhoodofPerth。Theletterwarnedherthattherewasanobstacle，ofwhichshewasherselfprobablynotaware，inthewayofherprojectedmarriagewithMr。GeoffreyDelamayn。Thatgentlemanhadseriouslycompromisedhimselfwithanotherlady；andtheladywouldopposehismarriagetoMrs。
Glenarm，withproofinwritingtoproduceinsupportofherclaim。Theproofwascontainedintwolettersexchangedbetweentheparties，andsignedbytheirnames；andthecorrespondencewasplacedatMrs。Glenarm’sdisposal，ontwoconditions，asfollows：
First，thatsheshouldofferasufficientlyliberalpricetoinducethepresentpossessoroftheletterstopartwiththem。
Secondly，thatsheshouldconsenttoadoptsuchamethodofpayingthemoneyasshouldsatisfythepersonthathewasinnodangeroffindinghimselfbroughtwithinreachofthelaw。Theanswertothesetwoproposalswasdirectedtobemadethroughthemediumofanadvertisementinthelocalnewspaper——distinguishedbythisaddress，“ToaFriendintheDark。“
Certainturnsofexpression，andoneortwomistakesinspelling，pointedtothisinsolentletterasbeing，inallprobability，theproductionofaScotchman，inthelowerranksoflife。Mrs。
Glenarmhadatonceshownittohernearestrelative，CaptainNewenden。ThecaptainhadsoughtlegaladviceinPerth。Ithadbeendecided，afterdueconsideration，toinserttheadvertisementdemanded，andtotakemeasurestoentrapthewriteroftheletterintorevealinghimself——without，itisneedlesstoadd，allowingthefellowreallytoprofitbyhisattemptedactofextortion。
Thecunningofthe“FriendintheDark“whoeverhemightbe
had，ontryingtheproposedexperiment，provedtobemorethanamatchforthelawyers。Hehadsuccessfullyeludednotonlythesnarefirstsetforhim，butotherssubsequentlylaid。Asecond，andathird，anonymousletter，onemoreimpudentthantheotherhadbeenreceivedbyMrs。Glenarm，assuringthatladyandthefriendswhowereactingforherthattheywereonlywastingtimeandraisingthepricewhichwouldbeaskedforthecorrespondence，bythecoursetheyweretaking。CaptainNewendenhadthereupon，indefaultofknowingwhatothercoursetopursue，appealedpubliclytothecitymagistrates，andarewardhadbeenoffered，underthesanctionofthemunicipalauthorities，forthediscoveryoftheman。Thisproceedingalsohavingprovedquitefruitless，itwasunderstoodthatthecaptainhadarranged，withtheconcurrenceofhisEnglishsolicitors，toplacethematterinthehandsofanexperiencedofficeroftheLondonpolice。
Here，sofarasthenewspapercorrespondentwasaware，theaffairrestedforthepresent。
Itwasonlynecessarytoadd，thatMrs。GlenarmhadlefttheneighborhoodofPerth，inordertoescapefurtherannoyance；andhadplacedherselfundertheprotectionoffriendsinanotherpartofthecounty。Mr。GeoffreyDelamayn，whosefairfamehadbeenassaileditwasneedless，thecorrespondentaddedinparenthesis，tosayhowgroundlessly，wasunderstoodtohaveexpressed，notonlytheindignationnaturalunderthecircumstancesbutalsohisextremeregretatnotfindinghimselfinapositiontoaidCaptainNewenden’seffortstobringtheanonymousslanderertojustice。Thehonorablegentlemanwas，asthesportingpublicwerewellaware，thenincourseofstricttrainingforhisforthcomingappearanceattheFulhamFoot-Race。
Soimportantwasitconsideredthathismindshouldnotbeharassedbyannoyances，inhispresentresponsibleposition，thathistrainerandhisprincipalbackershadthoughtitdesirabletohastenhisremovaltotheneighborhoodofFulham——wheretheexerciseswhichweretopreparehimfortheracewerenowbeingcontinuedonthespot。
“Themysteryseemstothicken，“saidArnold。
“Quitethecontrary，“returnedSirPatrick，briskly。“Themysteryisclearingfast——thankstotheGlasgownewspaper。IshallbesparedthetroubleofdealingwithBishopriggsforthestolenletter。MissSilvesterhasgonetoPerth，torecoverhercorrespondencewithGeoffreyDelamayn。“
“Doyouthinkshewouldrecognizeit，“saidArnold，pointingtothenewspaper，“intheaccountgivenofithere？“
“Certainly!Andshecouldhardlyfail，inmyopinion，togetastepfartherthanthat。UnlessIamentirelymistaken，theauthorshipoftheanonymouslettershasnotmystified_her。_“
“Howcouldsheguessatthat？“
“Inthisway，asIthink。Whatevershemayhavepreviouslythought，shemustsuspect，bythistime，thatthemissingcorrespondencehasbeenstolen，andnotlost。Now，thereareonlytwopersonswhomshecanthinkof，asprobablyguiltyofthetheft——Mrs。InchbareorBishopriggs。ThenewspaperdescriptionofthestyleoftheanonymouslettersdeclaresittobethestyleofaScotchmaninthelowerranksoflife——inotherwords，pointsplainlytoBishopriggs。Youseethat？Verywell。Nowsupposesherecoversthestolenproperty。Whatislikelytohappenthen？Shewillbemoreorlessthanwomanifshedoesn’tmakeherwaynext，providedwithherproofsinwriting，toMrs。Glenarm。Shemayinnocentlyhelp，orshemayinnocentlyfrustrate，theendwehaveinview——eitherway，ourcourseisclearbeforeusagain。OurinterestincommunicatingwithMissSilvesterremainspreciselythesameinterestthatitwasbeforewereceivedtheGlasgownewspaper。IproposetowaittillSunday，onthechancethatMr。
Crummaywriteagain。Ifwedon’thearfromhim，IshallstartforScotlandonMondaymorning，andtakemychanceoffindingmywaytoMissSilvester，throughMrs。Glenarm。“
“Leavingmebehind？“
“Leavingyoubehind。SomebodymuststaywithBlanche。Afterhavingonlybeenafortnightmarried，mustIremindyouofthat？“
“Don’tyouthinkMr。CrumwillwritebeforeMonday？“
“Itwillbesuchafortunatecircumstanceforus，ifhedoeswrite，thatIdon’tventuretoanticipateit。“
“Youaredownonourluck，Sir。“
“Idetestslang，Arnold。Butslang，Iown，expressesmystateofmind，inthisinstance，withanaccuracywhichalmostreconcilesmetotheuseofit——foronceinaway。“
“Everybody’sluckturnssoonerorlater，“persistedArnold。“I
can’thelpthinkingourluckisontheturnatlast。Wouldyoumindtakingabet，SirPatrick？“
“Applyatthestables。Ileavebetting，asIleavecleaningthehorses，tomygroom。“
Withthatcrabbedanswerheclosedtheconversationfortheday。
Thehourspassed，andtimebroughtthepostagaininduecourse——andthepostdecidedinArnold’sfavor!SirPatrick’swantofconfidenceinthefavoringpatronageofFortunewaspracticallyrebukedbythearrivalofasecondletterfromtheGlasgowlawyeronthenextday。
“Ihavethepleasureofannouncing“Mr。Crumwrote“thatIhaveheardfromMissSilvester，bythenextpostaldeliveryensuing，afterIhaddispatchedmylettertoHamFarm。Shewrites，verybriefly，toinformmethatshehasdecidedonestablishinghernextplaceofresidenceinLondon。Thereasonassignedfortakingthisstep——whichshecertainlydidnotcontemplatewhenIlastsawher——isthatshefindsherselfapproachingtheendofherpecuniaryresources。Havingalreadydecidedonadopting，asameansofliving，thecallingofaconcert-singer，shehasarrangedtoplaceherinterestsinthehandsofanoldfriendofherlatemotherwhoappearstohavebelongedalsotothemusicalprofession：adramaticandmusicalagentlongestablishedinthemetropolis，andwellknowntoherasatrustworthyandrespectableman。Shesendsmethenameandaddressofthisperson——acopyofwhichyouwillfindontheinclosedslipofpaper——intheeventofmyhavingoccasiontowritetoher，beforesheissettledinLondon。Thisisthewholesubstanceofherletter。Ihaveonlytoadd，thatitdoesnotcontaintheslightestallusiontothenatureoftheerrandonwhichsheleftGlasgow。“
SirPatrickhappenedtobealonewhenheopenedMr。Crum’sletter。
Hisfirstproceeding，afterreadingit，wastoconsulttherailwaytime-tablehanginginthehall。Havingdonethis，hereturnedtothelibrary——wroteashortnoteofinquiry，addressedtothemusicalagent——andrangthebell。
“MissSilvesterisexpectedinLondon，Duncan。Iwantadiscreetpersontocommunicatewithher。Youaretheperson。“
Duncanbowed。SirPatrickhandedhimthenote。
“Ifyoustartatonceyouwillbeintimetocatchthetrain。Gotothataddress，andinquireforMissSilvester。Ifshehasarrived，givehermycompliments，andsayIwillhavethehonorofcallingonheronMr。Brinkworth’sbehalfattheearliestdatewhichshemayfinditconvenienttoappoint。Bequickaboutit——andyouwillhavetimetogetbackbeforethelasttrain。
HaveMr。andMrs。Brinkworthreturnedfromtheirdrive？“
“No，SirPatrick。“