'
She rose, and took a turn in the room. 'Suppose I tell you?' she said.
'But, mind, I shall mention no names!'
'There is no need to mention names. The facts are all I want.'
'The facts are nothing,' she rejoined. 'I have only my own impressions
to confess--and you will very likely think me a fanciful fool when you
hear what they are. No matter. I will do my best to content you--
I will begin with the facts that you want. Take my word for it,
they won't do much to help you.'
She sat down again. In the plainest possible words, she began
the strangest and wildest confession that had ever reached
the Doctor's ears.
CHAPTER II
'It is one fact, sir, that I am a widow,' she said. 'It is another fact,
that I am going to be married again.'
There she paused, and smiled at some thought that occurred to her.
Doctor Wybrow was not favourably impressed by her smile--
there was something at once sad and cruel in it. It came slowly,
and it went away suddenly. He began to doubt whether he had been wise
in acting on his first impression. His mind reverted to the commonplace
patients and the discoverable maladies that were waiting for him,
with a certain tender regret.
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