"He's pulling off his wig!" whispered Gooseberry, compassionating my

position, as the only person in the room who could see nothing.

There was a pause--and then a cry of astonishment among the people round

the bed.

"He's pulled off his beard!" cried Gooseberry.

There was another pause--Sergeant Cuff asked for something. The landlord

went to the wash-hand-stand, and returned to the bed with a basin of

water and a towel.

Gooseberry danced with excitement on the chair. "Come up here, along

with me, sir! He's washing off his complexion now!"

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The Sergeant suddenly burst his way through the people about him,

and came, with horror in his face, straight to the place where I was

standing.

"Come back to the bed, sir!" he began. He looked at me closer, and

checked himself "No!" he resumed. "Open the sealed letter first--the

letter I gave you this morning."

I opened the letter.

"Read the name, Mr. Blake, that I have written inside."

I read the name that he had written. It was GODFREY ABLEWHITE.

"Now," said the Sergeant, "come with me, and look at the man on the

bed."

I went with him, and looked at the man on the bed.

GODFREY ABLEWHITE!




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