Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-04
CHAPTER XIX

following morning / found Mrs. Mivart
awaiting me alone. The old lady apollo,
stzed for MaIy's non-appearance. say
Ing that {, was her habit to have her
tea in her room, but that she sent me q
message OF farewell.
Had it been at all possible would have,
left by a later train. for was extremely
anxious to watch her de,neanor after last
nights ciandestInc meeting, but with
such a crowd Of patients awaiting me it
was imperative to leave by the first train.
Even that would not bring me to Kings
Cross before nearly II o'clock.
We'll now, DOCTOR" Mrs. Mivart COM
rnenced rather anxiously when we were
seated, and she had handed me my coffee.
you saw Mary last night, and had an
opportunity, of speaking with her, What
Is your opinion2 Don't hesitate TO tell
me frankly. for consider that it is my
duty 10 face the worst.
Really" ] exclaimed. looking straight
at her after a moments reflection. ITO
speak candidly, ] failed to detect any
thing radically wrong in your daughters
demeanor.'
But did you notice, doctor, how c1-
tro1neiy nervous she IS; how in her eyes
there is haunting. suspicious look, and
how blank is her mind upon every sub
sect but the great calamity that has be-
fallen herr
II must confess that these things were
not apparent to me- I answered ~
watched her carefully, but beyond the
facts that she IS greatly: unneryed by the
tragedy, and that she Is mourning deeply
Tor her dead husband, I can discover moth
ing abnormal"
You are not Of opinion, then, that
aer mind is growing unbalanced by the
strain2"
-N4 Re-, f1,a Jooc T y~ao rcS 1,a,-
The symptoms she betrays are but nat
ural in a woman of her nervous( highly
strung temperament
But she unfortunately grieves too
much, remarked the old lady, with a
sieh. His name Is upon her lipa at,
every hour in the day. I've tried to dis
tract her and urged her to accompany
me abroad for time, but all to no pur-.
pose. She won't hear Of It."
alone knew the reason Of her re-
fusal In conspiracy with her dead"
husband 1t was impossible to be apart
from him for long together. The undue
eccentuation Of her daughters feigned
grief had alarmed the old lady-and Just
ly sc. Now that l recollected. her con-
cuct at table on the previous night was
remarkable. having regard to the true
facts of the case confess had my
self been entirely deceived Into believing
that her sorrow at Henry Courtenay's
death was unbounded. In every detail
her acting was perfect, being bound to at
tract sympathy among her friends and
arouse interest among strangers. longed
to explain to the quiet. charming old lady
what ] had seen during my midnight
tainble, but such q. course was, as Yet, i'm
possible. Indeed, If made a plain state
nent, such as ! have given in the fore
;oing pages surely no one would believe
ne. But every man has his romance, and
his WAS mine
Unable to reveal Mary's secret, ] was
compelled reluctantly to take leave of
her mother who accompanied me out to
hhere the trap was in waiting.
II scarcely know. doctor, how to thank
you sufficiently the dear old lady said
as took her hand. What you have told
me treasures me. OF late .iave been ex-
tremely anxious. as you may imagine
You need feel no anxiety" declared.
She's nervous and run down-that's all.
Take her away for change, il possible.
But If Sc refuses don't force her. Quiet
is the chief medicine In her case. Good
bye"
She pressed my hand again in grateful
acknowledgement, and then 1 mounted
into the conveyance and was driven to
the station.
On the journey back to town pondered
long and deeply. OF a verify my short
visit to Neneford had been fraught with
good results an. was contemplating
seeking Amber Jevons at the earliest
possible moment and relating to him my
astounding discovery. The fact that old
Courtenay was still living absolutely sur
passed my comprehension. To endeavor
to form any theory. or to Try and account
for the bewildering phenomenon, was Ut
teriy useless. I had seen him, and had
overheard his words. ] could surely be-
liere my eyes and ears. And there it
ended. The why and wherelore / put
aside for the present, remembering Mary-s
promise to him to come to town and have
an interview with me.
Surely that meeting ought 70 be a most
Interesting one l awaited it with most
intense anxiety. and yet in fear, lest
might be led by her clever imposture to
blurt out what 1 knew. 1 felt myself on
the eve of making startling revelation;
and my expectations were realized to the
full, as the further portion of my strange
romance will show.
I,llnow that many narratives have been
written detailing remarkable and almost
Uncomfortable Vaccinations of those who
have stained their hands with crime but
/ honestly believe that the extraordinary
features of my own life-rolnance are as
IL diiScl lileiiis illtll-
erto recorded. Even my worst enemy
could not dub me esotistica1, / think; tand
surely the facts have set down here are
plain and unvarnished, without any at
tempt at misleading the reader into believ-
ing that which is untrue. Mine is plain
chronicle Of a Gain of extraordinary cir
cumstances which led to an amazing de-
nouement.
From Kings Cross to Guys is con-
siderable distance, and when alighted
from the cab In the courtyard of the hos
patai 1t was nearly midday. Until 2 o'clock
was kept busy in the wards. and after
a sandwich and a glass of sherry. drove
to Harley street, where found Sir Ber-
nard IN his consulting for the first
time for a month.
'Ah! Boyd" he cried merrily,. when
entered. Thought I'd surprise you to-
day. I felt quite well this morning, so
resolved to come up and see Lady Twick-
snham and one. or two others. I'm not
st home to patients. and have left them
30 YOU
I'm delighted to see you better. de-
clared, wringing his hand. They were
asking after you at the hospita. to-day
Vernon said he intended going down to
see you Tomorrow
kind Of him" the old man laughed
placing his thin hands together, after
rubbing and readjustirg his glasses. You
were away last night Out Of town, they
e,tS =