TheideainmymindwhenIwrotetohim，andthenatureofmyinquiries，willbeeasilyinferredfromhisreply。Hisletteransweredmyquestionsbycommunicatingtheseimportantfacts——
Inthefirstplace，`thelateSirPercivalGlyde，ofBlackwaterPark，’
hadneversetfootinVarneckHall。ThedeceasedgentlemanwasatotalstrangertoMajorDonthorne，andtoallhisfamily。
Inthesecondplace，`thelateMrPhilipFairlie，ofLimmeridgeHouse，’
hadbeen，inhisyoungerdays，theintimatefriendandconstantguestofMajorDonthorne。Havingrefreshedhismemorybylookingbacktooldlettersandotherpapers，theMajorwasinapositiontosaypositivelythatMrPhilipFairliewasstayingatVarneckHallinthemonthofAugust，eighteenhundredandtwenty-six，andthatheremainedtherefortheshootingduringthemonthofSeptemberandpartofOctoberfollowing。Hethenleft，tothebestoftheMajor’sbelief，forScotland，anddidnotreturntoVarneckHalltillafteralapseoftime，whenhereappearedinthecharacterofanewly-marriedman。