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ned to be that succeeding the arrival of the ladies； and it will be easily imagined that every member of the family looked forward to the moment with most anxious interest。 Perhaps they were not aware themselves； how gradually doubts had arisen and increased； in their own minds； since the first disclosure made by Mr。 Clapp。
〃Harry and myself have both seen this man at last； Agnes；〃 said Mr。 Wyllys to his daughter； just after she had returned home； when alone with Elinor and herself。 〃Where do you suppose Harry saw him yesterday？ At church； with Mr。 Reed。 And this morning I caught a glimpse of him； standing on the steps of Clapp's office。〃
〃Indeed！〃 exclaimed Miss Wyllys； who； as well as Elinor； was listening eagerly。 How did he look？what kind of man did he seem？〃
〃He looked like a sailor。 I only saw him for a moment； however； for he was coming out of the office； and walked down the street； in an opposite direction from me。 I must confess that his face had something of a Stanley look。〃
〃Is it possible！〃
〃Yes； so far as I could see him； he struck me as looking like the Stanleys； but； in another important point； he does not resemble them at all。 You remember the peculiar gait of the family？they all had it； more or less； anybody who knew them well must have remarked it oftenbut this man had nothing of the kind； he walked like a sailor。〃
〃I know what you mean； it was a peculiar motion in walking； well known to all their friendsa long； slow step。〃
〃Precisely； this man had nothing of it； whateverhe had the sailor swing； for I watched his movements expressly。 William Stanley； as a boy； walked just like his father； for I have often pointed it out to Mr。 Stanley； myself。〃
〃That mast be an important point； I should suppose； and yet； grandpapa； you think he looks like my uncle Stanley？〃 said Elinor。
〃So I should say； from the glimpse I had of him。〃
〃What did Harry think of him？〃 asked Miss Wyllys。
〃Hazlehurst did not see his face； for he sat before him in church。 He said； that if he had not been told who it was； he should have pronounced him； from his general appearance and manner； a common…looking； sea…faring man； who was not accustomed to the service of the Church； for he did not seem to understand when he should kneel； and when he should rise。〃
〃But William Stanley ought to have known it perfectly；〃 observed Elinor； 〃for he must have gone to church constantly； with his family； as a child； until he went to sea； and could scarcely have forgotten the service entirely； I should think。〃
〃Certainly； my dear； that is another point which we have noted in our favour。 On the other hand； however； I have just been carefully comparing the hand…writing of Clapp's client； with that of William Stanley； and there is a very remarkable resemblance between them。 As far as the hand…writing goes； I must confess； that I should have admitted it at once； as identical； under ordinary circumstances。〃
〃And the personal likeness； too； struck you； it seems；〃 added Miss Agnes。
〃It did； so far； at least； as I could judge from seeing him only a moment； and with his hat on。 To…morrow we shall be able； I trust； to make up our minds more decidedly on other important points。〃
〃It is very singular that he should not be afraid of an interview！〃 exclaimed Elinor。
〃Well； I don't know that； my child； having once advanced this claim； he must be prepared for examination； you know； under any circumstances。 It is altogether a singular case； however； whether he be the impostor we think him； or the individual he claims to be。 Truth is certainly more strange than fiction sometimes。 Would you like to see the statement Mr。 Reed sent us； when we applied for some account of his client's past movements？〃
Miss Agnes and Elinor were both anxious to see it。
〃Here it isshort you seein Clapp's hand…writing； but signed by himself。 There is nothing in it that may not possibly be true； but I fancy that we shall be able to pick some holes in it； by…and…bye。〃
〃Did he make no difficulty about sending it to you？〃 asked Miss Agnes。
〃No； he seemed to give it readily； Mr。 Reed sent it to us a day or two since。〃
Miss Wyllys received the letter from her father； inviting Elinor to read it over her shoulder； at the same moment。 It was endorsed； in Clapp's hand； 〃STATEMENT OF MR。 STANLEY； PREPARED AT THE REQUEST OF HIS FATHER'S EXECUTOR；〃 and ran as follows：
〃July 1st； 183…。
〃I left home； as everybody knows； because I would have my own way in everything。 It was against my best interests to be sure； but boys don't think at such times； about anything but having their own will。 I suppose that every person connected with my deceased father knows； that my first voyage was made to Russia； in the year 18； in the ship Dorothy Beck； Jonas Thomson； Master。 I was only fourteen years old at the time。 My father had taken to heart my going off； and when I came back from Russia he was on the look…out； wrote to me and sent me money； and as soon as he heard we were in port he came after me。 Well； I went back with the old gentleman； but we had a quarrel on the road； and I put about again and went to New Bedford； where I shipped in a whaler。 We were out only eighteen months； and brought in a full cargo。 This time I went home of my own accord； and I staid a great part of one summer。 I did think some of quitting the seas； but after a while things didn't work well； and one of my old shipmates coming up into the country to see me； I went off with him。 This time I shipped in the Thomas Jefferson； for China。 This was in the year 1814； during the last war； when I was about eighteen。 Most people； who know anything about William Stanley； think that was the last of him； that he never set foot on American ground again； but they are mistaken； as he himself will take the pains to show。 So far I have told nothing but what everybody knows； but now I am going to give a short account of what has happened； since my friends heard from me。 Well； the Jefferson sailed； on her voyage to China； in October； she was wrecked on the coast of Africa in December； and it was reported that all hands were lost： so they were； all but one； and that one was William Stanley。 I was picked up by a Dutchman； the barque William； bound to Batavia。 I kept with the Dutchman for a while； until he went back to Holland。 After I had cut adrift from him； I fell in with some Americans； and got some old papers； in one of them I saw my father's second marriage。 I knew the name of the lady he had married； but I had never spoken to her。 The very next day； one of the men I was with； who came from the same part of the country； told me of my father's death； and said it was the common talk about the neighbourhood； that I was disinherited。 This made me very angry； though I wasn't much surprised； after what had passed。 I was looking out for a homeward…bound American； to go back； and see how matters stood； when one night that I was drunk； I was carried off by an English officer； who made out I was a runaway。 For five years I was kept in different English men…of…war； in the East Indies； at the end of that time I was put on board the Ceres； sloop of war； and I made out to desert from her at last； and got on board an American。 I then came home； and here； the first man that I met on shore was Billings； the chap who first persuaded me to go to sea： he knew all about my father's family； and told me it was true I was cut off without a cent； and that Harry Hazlehurst had been adopted by my father。 This made me so mad； that I went straight to New Bedford； and shipped in the Sally Andrews； for a whaling voyage。 Just before we were to have come home； I exchanged into another whaler； as second…mate； for a year longer。 Then I sailed in a Havre liner； as foremast hand； for a while。 I found out about this time； that the executors of my father's estate had been advertising for me shortly after his death； while I was in the East Indies； and I went to a lawyer in Baltimore； where I happened to be； and consulted him about claiming the property； but he wouldn't believe a word I said； because I was half…drunk at the time； and told me that I should get in trouble if I didn't keep my mouth shut。 Well； I cruized about for a while longer； when at last I went to Longbridge； with some shipmates。 I had been there often before； as a lad； and I had some notion of having a talk with Mr。 Wyllys； my father's executor； I went to his house one day； but I didn't see him。 One of my shipmates who knew something of my story； and had been a client of Mr。 Clapp's； advised me to consult him。 I went to his office； but he sent me off like the Baltimore lawyer； because be thought I was drunk。 Three years after that I got back to Longbridge again； with a shipmate； but it did me no good； for I got drinking； and had a fit of the horrors。 That fit sobered me； though； in the end； it was the worst I had ever had； I should have hanged myself； and there would have been an end of William Stanley and his hard rubs； if it hadn't been for the doctorI never knew his name； but Mr。 Clapp says it was Dr。 Van Horne。 After this bad fit； they coaxed me into shipping in a temperance whaler。 While I was in the Pacific； in this ship； nigh three years； and out of the reach of drink； I had time