detecting him by the Method of Residues, 'the oven is still hot in the
New Hebrides. What have you got to say for yourselves?'

The curates shifted nervously on their chairs.

'We see, Merton,' said Clancy, 'that you know a good deal which we did
not know ourselves till lately. In fact, we did not know each other till
the Church Congress at Leamington. Then the other men came to tea at my
rooms, and saw--'

'A portrait of a lady; each of you possessed a similar portrait,' said
Merton.

'How the dev--I mean, how do you know _that_?'

'By a simple deductive process,' said Merton. 'There were also letters,'
he said. Here a gurgle from behind the screen was audible to Merton.

'We did not read each others' letters,' said Clancy, blushing.

'Of course not,' said Merton.

'But the handwriting on the envelopes was identical,' Clancy went on.

'Well, and what can our Society do for you?'

'Why, we saw your advertisements, never guessed they were _yours_, of
course, Pussy, and--none of us is a man of the world--'

'I congratulate you,' said Merton.