New-York tribune., 1892-01-03
CHAPTER II.

you to answer my question, Who are y0u .
Il repeat that my answer may st'l'H Apu
Must Give il i'm the presence OF this zen, icran
1t isn't his fault, for ne wanted 10 leave anu W"
would not permit him , Inv,
" He is my doctor, and the only irienl nav nay
in the worll | don't care To bc LETT alone VII,
any stranger male or female; 80 pir'S' 10 ven
nc at once who you arc and what you viii. "''no.
At this moment fancied | heard a suppress S'o
sncazr lust outside Acting on sudden impulse
rose from my chair. marched softly hu' 'Wii'll
TO the door, and opened it quickly. dr3wlh! u
toward me with Jerk Whatever tragedy lhl"h'
unfold itself later on, the Immediate result wa.
coInicsL The bent form OF Mrs. Higgins, WIth hcl
head down, like bull in the act Of charging
plunged into the room and fell Hat down one one
had evidently been leaning in stOoplng POSITION
against the door with her ear 10 the kry-hoie
| Offered to help her 10 her feet again; out she
with spitcful evil glance, and got up nnalded
With a flushed face and thoroughly discomposcd
air She stood staring at Mr.: Lee ..,.
We'll, madam" he said serny, thls is an
odd way of entering q room! What lave you TO
say for yoursclf?'
IL thought you'd called me, sir; my foot caught
in the mat"
Don't try to impose upon MS by such trans
parent stun as that" he said. BE of. and don I
listen at the door again on, mark my words.
Mrs. Higgins turned round and walled away
without another word. She took Mr. Lees warn
ing to heart. for though | suddenly olcncl the
door at irregular intervals after that, found no
Now" said Mr. Lee, in a rather low tone. when
he was satisfied that she was gone, am wanting
for an answer TO my question.
You ask me who am ?' replied his handsome
darlseyed visitor; will it surprise you 10 hear
that am your own daughter? ?? -,
Evidently this announcement dld surprise MI.
Lee and very considerably. lie convulsivciy Y
graspcd both arms of his chair, stared at his sol
disant daughter for moment or two, and then
sprsnG bolt upright as IL galvanized.
Your proofs, he demanded.
a letter from him?'
No; verbal message only. l 'aw him IN
Manchester
Let me hear it.
She looked at me Then she walked up p 70 him him.
ish unnatural strength left him. and he dropped
weak and trembling into his chair.
Enough he said family.
"lou are now convinced -
I,s say more at present.
had already risen from my chair and taken up
my hat. felt that | had no right 10 Sta stay an, any
longer. whether Mr.. Lee wished 1t or not But
this time he did not oppose me
:" won't detain you, Mr. Dnnbrook, he SAID.
Matters have taken tuIn which had not eA-
pected.
Shall call tomorrow as usunl?" asked as
| held his hand TO say gooi-bye.
Yes. if you hear nothing TO the contrary, was
his reply.
So | said goodbye TO him. bowed to his visitor.
When I called NEXT morning found tho same
tdy with him. lie at once introduced me -
"Dr Dunbrook allow me 10 introduce you TO
my daughter, my only child. Miss Lee.
." She is not married then was my mental com,
mcnt The thought brought a curious feeling of
satisfaction with 1t. We had certainly made each
others acquaintance in very remarkable II not
Nmantio circumstances. and certain inturc POSI-
bities loOmed vaguely in my thoughts.
ALLOW me 10 thank you cordially, Dr. Dun
brook, said Miss Lee offering me her hand, "for
your great kindness To my father. lie has told
that you are come, as have an engagement which
cannot bc put on Cheer him up. ms is your wont
Goodbye. DR. Dunbrook. Goodbye. father. I'LL
With that she left US. much to my regret
So you and, DR.. DunbroolS. that the actnalitie::
Of real life are stranger than the inventions or
fiction" was Mr.. Lees first remark after the de-
parturc Of his daughter.
$50 it seems" ! said
Did Yesterdays drama appear 70 you under
"On the whole OF tragedy. The only comic
element was thot supplied by Mrs. Higgins
THE sneaking. inquisitiye ca, That womhns
uncontrOllab bile curiosity Will Work MISCHIEF Yet II
"She viii not readily forgive me for the trick
g'|, don't believe she will bat you arc beyond
the reach of her malice. l. unfortunately, am
not"
Surely you are not obliged to Stag in thi-
wrctched house
AT any rate I do not find il convenient. 10
leave IT, But let us change the subject. How
old are YOU, DR.. Dunbrook9 ~
Though rother startled by the abruptnere Of the
question. | felt no motive for conccalmcnt SO |
answered promptly that | was hlrty-Onc
From what YOU have told me. ! understand
that your practice in this town is not narse one
Neither large nor lucrative. II just enables
me 10 make both ends meet. that's all.
He was silent for minute or two, and appeared
wearly and asked. What age would you give
my daughterP'
Though again struck by the strangcncss Of his
question, | answered without hesitation that !
thought she looked about twenty-five,
She il Just twenty seven he replied only
four years younger than yourself.
Here. a violent paroxysin of coughing seized
him. When IL was over, he seemed thoroughly
exhausted, and showed no inclination 20 speak
But | wanted 70 hear more about his daughter. 80
! asked him if She was aware Of his real cou-
diton.
"Oh yes, quite aware Of it," hc answered. 81
have something on my mind which ! wished 70
say TO you about her; bat this cOughing-iit has
upon the subject now will do 50 when you
come tomorrow Longer than that | must not
put IL OH, for ] feel that my end is drawing
near. ] am afraid you must leave me now {; | want
to collect my thoughts and put things in order
before ! vanish into ashes. Don't forget your
promise. | was afraid my daughter would cross
my wishes in that matter; but she has promised
not 10 do so.v
The end was not near, however, as he feared.
Next day when | called he felt better and put off
the promised communication about his daughter.
nor did he allude 70 the subject for many days az
ter. Meanwhile gradually got better acquainted
with Miss Lee found to my astonlshment that
she was poferneSS III Il family Whlch had recently
come TO the town for short stay. j had been
cent for professionally 10 see u member OF that fam
lily and thus came across her accidentally. AS
passed her on the staircase she had an opportunity
OF whispering 70 me- " For Gods sake don't rccog-
nizc me, and say nothing about my father"
need not say that scrupulously complied with
this request When was afterward formally in
troduced TO her bowed quite gravcly aS to com
ct' stranger. In the course OF several visits which
] made to this family managed, without appearing
in any way unduly inquistivc to learn a good deal
about her. She had been a governcss in the family
for four years and very much liked and
spccted both by her pupils and their parents.
There was mystery about her, however.
She very Tctccnt a. to her history, though
she had let it, I've understood that She had no rrla-
tive alive except her father, who, she said wns in
Australia. She was gOVcrncss rather from choice
han from necessity; for regularly every six months
she received "A remittance Of 900 from her father
through certain Mr. Burton, A lawyer in Man
chester. But beyond this nobody knew anything.