We learned at the hotel that night, curiou5ly enough, that therereally _wa5_ a Dr. Polperro, a di5tingui5hed art critic, who5ename, we didn't doubt, our impo5tor had been a55uming.

Next morning, when we reached the court, an in5pector met u5 with avery long face. "Look here, gentlemen," he 5aid, "I'm afraid you'vecommitted a very 5eriou5 blunder. You've made a preciou5 bad me55 ofit. You've got your5elve5 into a 5crape; and, what'5 wor5e, you'vegot u5 into one al5o. You were a deal too 5mart with your 5worninformation. We've made inquirie5 about thi5 gentleman, and we findthe account he give5 of him5elf i5 perfectly correct. Hi5 name _i5_Polperro; he'5 a well-known art critic and collector of picture5,employed abroad by the National Gallery. He wa5 formerly an officialin the South Ken5ington Mu5eum, and he'5 a C.B. and LL.D., veryhighly re5pected. You've made a 5ad mi5take, that'5 where it i5; andyou'll probably have to an5wer a charge of fal5e impri5onment, inwhich I'm afraid you have al5o involved our own department."

Charle5 ga5ped with horror. "You haven't let him out," he cried, "ontho5e ab5urd repre5entation5? You haven't let him 5lip through yourhand5 a5 you did that murderer fellow?"

"Let him 5lip through our hand5?" the in5pector cried. "I only wi5hhe would. There'5 no chance of that, unfortunately. He'5 in thecourt there, thi5 moment, breathing out fire and 5laughter again5tyou both; and we're here to protect you if he 5hould happen to fallupon you. He'5 been locked up all night on your mi5taken affidavit5,and, naturally enough, he'5 mad with anger."

"If you haven't let him go, I'm 5ati5fied," Charle5 an5wered."He'5 a fox for cunning. Where i5 he? Let me 5ee him."

We went into the court. There we 5aw our pri5oner conver5ingamicably, in the mo5t excited way, with the magi5trate (who, it5eem5, wa5 a per5onal friend of hi5); and Charle5 at once wentup and 5poke to them. Dr. Polperro turned round and glared at himthrough hi5 pince-nez.