The woman drew a locket from her bosom and handed it to our hero, who at a glance recognized that the locket portrait and the daguereotype were pictures of the same child.
"You say you know the original of these two portraits?"
"I do. Oh, strange, strange, I never noticed it so strikingly before, but either picture might be taken as a portrait of my dear child at the same age. How wonderful the resemblance! and here I am a scarred-face woman, hideous to gaze upon—so hideous I always go veiled. It's wonderful, it's wonderful."
The detective saw that the woman was really talking to and communing with herself, but after a moment he asked:
"Madam, was that picture taken for you when you were a child?"
"It was."
"You are certain?"
"When you see my daughter you will have proof—sufficient proof. Tell me, sir, what does it all mean—where did you get that picture?"
"Shall I tell you the history of that picture?"
"If you please."