Quietlyherepeatedthelastphrase。”’ButheisgettingwellfastandwillsoonbereadytotakeupthemanagementoftheWorkswhichwasgivenhimjustbeforehewastakenill。’ThatwillshowherthatIamworkingup，”hebrightlyremarkedasDoriscarefullypennedthelastword。”Ofmyselfyouneedsaynothingmore，unless-”hepausedandhisfacetookonawistfullookwhichDorisdarednotmeet；”unless-butno，no，shemustthinkithasbeenonlyapassingindisposition。IfsheknewIhadbeenreallyill，shewouldsuffer，andperhapsactimprudentlyorsufferandnotdaretoactatall，whichmightbesadderforherstill。Leaveitwhereitisandbeginaboutyourself。Writeagooddealaboutyourself，sothatshewillseethatyouarenotworriedandthatalliswellwithushere。Cannotyoudothatwithoutassistance?Surelyyoucantellheraboutthatlastpieceofembroideryyoushowedme。Shewillbegladtohear-why，Doris！””Oh，Mr。Brotherson，”thepoorchildburstout，”youmustletmecry！I’msogladtoseeyoubetterandinterestedinallsortsofthings。Thesearenottearsofgrief。I-I-butI’mforgettingwhatthedoctortoldme。Youaregrowingexcited，andIwastoseethatyouwerecalm，alwayscalm。Iwilltakemydeskaway。Iwillwritetherestintheotherroom，whileyoulookatthemagazines。””Butbringyourletterbackformetoseal。Iwanttoseeitinitsenvelope。Oh，Doris，youareagoodlittlegirl！”
　　Sheshookherhead，andhastenedtohideherselffromhimintheotherroom；anditwasalongtimebeforeshecamebackwiththeletterfoldedandinitsenvelope。Whenshedid，herfacewascomposedandhermannernatural。Shehadquitemadeuphermindwhatherdutywasandhowshewasgoingtoperformit。”Hereistheletter，”saidshe，layingitinhisoutstretchedhand。
　　Thensheturnedherback。Sheknew，withawoman’sunerringinstinctwhyhewishedtohandleitbeforeitwent。Shefeltthatkisshefoldedawayinit，ineveryfibreofherarousedandsympatheticheart，butthehardestpartoftheordealwasoverandhereyesbeamedsoftlywhensheturnedagaintotakeitfromhishandandaffixthestamp。”Youwillmailityourself?”heasked。”Ishouldliketohaveyouputitintotheboxwithyourownhand。””Iwillputitinto-night，aftersupper，”shepromisedhim。
　　Hissmileofcontentmentassuredherthatthistrialofhercourageandself-controlwasnotwithoutoneblessedresult。Hewouldrestforseveraldaysinthepleasureofwhathehaddoneorthoughthehaddone。SheneednotcringebeforethatimageofDreadfortwo，threedaysatleast。Meanwhile，hewouldgrowstronginbody，andshe，perhaps，inspirit。Onlyoneprecautionshemusttake。NohintofMr。Challoner’spresenceintownmustreachhim。Hemustbeguardedfromaknowledgeofthatfactascertainlyasfromthemoreseriousonewhichlaybehindit。
　　XXVIII
　　IHOPENEVERTOSEETHATMAN
　　Thatthiswouldbeadifficultthingtodo，Doriswassoontorealise。Mr。Challonercontinuedtopassthehousetwiceadayandthetimefinallycamewhenheventuredupthewalk。
　　Doriswasinthewindowandsawhimcoming。Sheslippedsoftlyoutandinterceptedhimbeforehehadsteppedupontheporch。Shehadcaughtupherhatasshepassedthroughthehall，andwasfittingittoherheadashelookedupandsawher。”MissScott?”heasked。”Yes，Mr。Challoner。””Youknowme?”hewenton，onefootonthestepandonestillonthewalk。
　　Beforereplyingsheclosedthedoorbehindher。Thenasshenotedhissurpriseshecarefullyexplained：”Mr。Brotherson，ourboarder，isjustrecoveringfromtyphoid。Heisstillweakandacutelysusceptibletotheleastnoise。Iwasafraidthatourvoicesmightdisturbhim。Doyoumindwalkingalittlewayuptheroad?Thatis，ifyourvisitwasintendedforme。”
　　Herflush，thebeautywhichmusthavestruckeverhim，butmorethanallelseheryouth，seemedtoreconcilehimtothisunconventionalrequest。Bowing，hetookhisfootfromthestep，saying，asshejoinedhim：”Yes，youaretheoneIwantedtosee；thatis，to-day。Later，I
　　hopetohavetheprivilegeofaconversationwithMr。Brotherson。”
　　Shegavehimonequicklook，tremblingsothatheofferedherhisarmwithafatherlyair。”Iseethatyouunderstandmyerrandhere，”heproceeded，withagravesmile，meantassheknewforherencouragement。”Iamglad，becausewecangoatoncetothepoint。MissScott，”hecontinuedinavoicefromwhichhenolongerstrovetokeepbacktheevidencesofdeepfeeling，”Ihavethestrongestinterestinyourpatientthatonemancanhaveinanother，wherethereisnopersonalacquaintanceship。Youwhohaveeveryreasontounderstandmyreasonsforthis，willacceptthestatement，Ihope，asfranklyasitismade。”
　　Shenodded。Hereyeswerefulloftears，butshedidnothesitatetoraisethem。Shehadthegreatestdesiretoseethefaceofthemanwhocouldspeaklikethisto-day，andyetofwhoseprideandsenseofsuperiorityhisdaughterhadstoodinsuchawe，thatshehadlaidasealupontheimpulsesofherheart，andimposedsuchtasksandwearywaitinguponherlover。Dorisforgot，inmeetinghissoftenedglanceandtender，almostwistful，expression，thechangeswhichcanbemadebyagreatgrief，andonlywonderedwhyhersweetbenefactresshadnottakenhimintoherconfidenceandthus，possibly，avertedthedoomwhichDorisfelthadinsomewaygrownoutofthissecrecy。”Whyshouldshehavefearedthedisapprovalofthisman?”sheinwardlyqueried，asshecasthimaconfidinglookwhichpleasedhimgreatly，ashistonenowshowed。”WhenIlostmydaughter，Ilosteverything，”hedeclared，astheywalkedslowlyuptheroad。”Nothingexcitesmyinterest，savethatwhichonceexcitedhers。Iamtoldthatthedeepestinterestofherlifelayhere。Iamalsotoldthatitwasaninterestquiteworthyofher。Iexpecttofinditso。Ihopewithallmyhearttofinditso，andthatiswhyIhavecometothistownandexpecttolingertillMr。Brothersonhasrecoveredsufficientlytoseeme。
　　Ihopethatthiswillbeagreeabletohim。IhopethatIamnotpresumingtoomuchincherishingtheseexpectations。
　　Doristurnedhercandideyesuponhim。”Icannottell；Idonotknow，”saidshe。”Nobodyknows，noteventhedoctor，whateffectthenewswesodreadtogivehimwillhaveuponMr。Brotherson。Youwillhavetowait-weallshallhavetowaittheresultsofthatrevelation。Itcannotbekeptfromhimmuchlonger。WhenIreturn，Ishallshrinkfromhisfirstlook，inthefearofseeingitbetraythisdreadfulknowledge。YetIhaveafaithfulwomantheretokeepeveryoneoutofhisroom。””Youhavehadmuchtocarryforonesoyoung，”wasMr。Challoner’ssympatheticremark。”Youmustletmehelpyouwhenthatawfulmomentcomes。IamatthehotelandshallstaytheretillMr。
　　Brothersonispronouncedquitewell。Ihavenootherdutynowinlifebuttosustainhimthroughhistroubleandthen，withwhataidhecangive，searchoutandfindthecauseofmydaughter’sdeathwhichIwillneveradmitwithoutthefullestproof，tohavebeenoneofsuicide。”
　　Doristrembled。”Itwasnotsuicide，”shedeclared，vehemently。”Ihavealwaysfeltsurethatitwasnot；butto-dayIKNOW。”
　　Herhandfellclenchedonherbreastandhereyesgleamedstrangely。
　　Mr。Challonerwashimselfgreatlystartled。Whathadhappened-whatcouldhavehappenedsinceyesterdaythatsheshouldemphasisethatnow?”I’venottoldanyone，”shewenton，ashestoppedshortintheroad，inhisanxietytounderstandher。”ButIwilltellyou。
　　Only，nothere，notwithallthesepeopledrivingpast；mostofwhomknowme。Cometothehouselater-thisevening，afterMr。
　　Brotherson’sroomisclosedforthenight。Ihavealittlesitting-roomontheothersideofthehallwherewecantalkwithoutbeingheard。Wouldyouobjecttodoingthat?AmIaskingtoomuchofyou?””No，notatall，”heassuredher。”Expectmeateight。Willthatbetooearly?””No，no。Oh，howthosepeoplestared！Letushastenbackortheymayconnectyournamewithwhatwewantkeptsecret。”
　　Hesmiledatherfears，butgaveintoherhumour；hewouldseehersoonagainandpossiblylearnsomethingwhichwouldamplyrepayhim，bothforhistroubleandhispatience。
　　Butwheneveningcameandsheturnedtofacehiminthatlittlesitting-roomwherehehadquietlyfollowedher，hewasconsciousofachangeinhermannerwhichforbadethesehighhopes。Thegleamwasgonefromhereyes；thetremulouseagernessfromhermobileandsensitivemouth。Shehadbeenthinkinginthehourswhichhadpassed，andhadlosttheconfidenceofthatoneimpetuousmoment。
　　Hergreetingbetrayedembarrassmentandshehesitatedpainfullybeforeshespoke。”Idon’tknowwhatyouwillthinkofme，”sheventuredatlast，motioningtoachairbutnotsittingherself。”YouhavehadtimetothinkoverwhatIsaidandprobablyexpectsomethingreal，-some-thingyoucouldtellpeople。Butitisn’tlikethat。
　　It’safeeling-abelief。I’msosure-””Sureofwhat，MissScott?”
　　Shegaveaglanceatthedoorbeforesteppingupnearer。Hehadnottakenthechairshepreferred。”SurethatIhaveseenthefaceofthemanwhomurderedher。Itwasinadream，”shewhisperinglycompleted，hergreateyesmistywithawe。”Adream，MissScott?”Hetriedtohidehisdisappointment。”Yes；Iknewthatitwouldsoundfoolishtoyou；itsoundsfoolishtome。Butlisten，sir。ListentowhatIhavetotellandthenyoucanjudge。Iwasverymuchagitatedyesterday。IhadtowritealetteratMr。Brotherson’sdictation-alettertoher。
　　YoucanunderstandmyhorrorandtheeffortImadetohidemyemotion。Iwasquiteunnerved。Icouldnotsleeptillmorning，andthen-andthen-Isaw-IhopeIcandescribeit。”
　　Graspingatanear-bychair，sheleanedonitforsupport，closinghereyestoallbutthatinnervision。Abreathlessmomentfollowed，thenshemurmuredinstrainedtnonotonoustones：”Iseeitagain-justasIsawitintheearlymorning-butevenmoreplainly，ifthatispossible。Ahall-Ishouldcallitahall，thoughIdon’trememberseeinganyplacelikeitbefore，withalittlestaircaseattheside，upwhichtherecomesaman，whostopsjustatthetopandlooksintentlymyway。Thereisfiercenessinhisface-alookwhichmeansnogoodtoanybody-andashishandgoestohisovercoatpocket，drawingoutsomethingwhichIcannotdescribe，butwhichhehandlesasifitwereapistol，Ifeelahorriblefear，and-and-”Thechildwasstaggering，andthehandwhichwasfreehadsoughtherheartwhereitlayclenched，theknucklesshowingwhiteinthedimlight。
　　Mr。Challonerwatchedherwithdilatedeyes，thespellunderwhichshespokefallinginsomedegreeuponhim。Hadshefinished?Wasthisall?No；sheisspeakingagain，butverylow，almostinawhisper。”Thereismusic-acrash-butIplainlyseehisotherhandapproachtheobjectheisholding。Hetakessomethingfromtheend-theobjectispointedmyway-Iamlookinginto-into-what?Idonotknow。Icannotevenseehimnow。Thespacewherehestoodisempty。Everythingfades，andIwakewithaloudcryinmyearsandasenseofdeathhere。”Shehadliftedherhandandstruckatherheart，openinghereyesasshedidso。”YetitwasnotIwhohadbeenshot，”sheaddedsoftly。
　　Mr。Challonershuddered。Thiswaslikethereopeningofhisdaughter’sgrave。Buthehadentereduponthescenewithafullappreciationoftheordealawaitinghimandhedidnotlosehiscalmness，orthecontrolofhisjudgment。