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The Weapons of Mystery
by Joseph Hocking
WARD. LOCK & CO., LIMITED
LONDON AND MELBOURNEMade and Printed in Great Britain by Ward, Lock & Co., Limited, London.
1890
Chap.
My story begins on the morning of December 18, 18—, while sitting atbreakfast. Let it be understood before we go further that I was abachelor living in lodgings. I had been left an orphan just before Icame of age, and was thus cast upon the world at a time when it isextremely dangerous for young men to be alone. Especially was it so inmy case, owing to the fact that at twenty-one I inherited a considerablefortune. One thing saved me from ruin, viz. a passionate love forliterature, which led me to make it my profession. I had at the time ofmy story been following the bent of my inclinations for two years with afair amount of success, and was regarded by those who knew me as a luckyfellow. That is all I think I need say concerning myself prior to thetime when my story opens, except to tell my name; but that will drop outvery soon. I had not made very great inroads into the omelette mylandlady had prepared for me when I heard the postman's knock, and soonafter a servant entered with a lett