regarding his life was
beginning to tell:

"No, sir!"

"Then why are you here? If you are not a doctor, what are you?" His
tone was again more dictatorial. Thought is quick; the whole train of
reasoning on which my answer must be based flooded through my brain
before the words could leave my lips. Margaret! I must think of
Margaret! This was her father, who as yet knew nothing of me; even of
my very existence. He would be naturally curious, if not anxious, to
know why I amongst men had been chosen as his daughter's friend on the
occasion of his illness. Fathers are naturally a little jealous in
such matters as a daughter's choice, and in the undeclared state of my
love for Margaret I must do nothing which could ultimately embarrass
her.

"I am a Barrister. It is not, however, in that capacity I am here; but
simply as a friend of your daughter. It was probably her knowledge of
my being a lawyer which first determined her to ask me to come when she
thought you had been murdered. Afterwards she was good enough to
consider me to be a friend, and to allow me to remain in accordance
with your expressed wish that someone should remain to watch."

Mr. Trelawny was manifestly a man of quick thought, and of few words.
He gazed at me keenly as I spoke, and his piercing eyes seemed to read
my thought. To my relief he said no more on the subject just then,
seeming to accept my words in simple faith. There was evidently in his
own mind some cause for the acceptance deeper than my own knowledge.
His eyes flashed, and there was an unconscious movement of the
mouth--it could hardly be called a twitch--which betokened
satisfaction. He was following out some train of reasoning in his own
mind. Suddenly he said:

"She thought I had been murdered! Was that last night?"

"No! four days ago." He seemed surprised. Whilst he had been speaking
the first time he had sat up in bed; now he made a movement as though
he would jump out. With an effort, however, he restrained himself;
leaning back on his pillows he said quietly:

"Tell me all about it! All you know! Every detail! Omit nothing!
But stay; first lock the door! I want to know, before I see anyone,
exactly how things stand."

Somehow his last words made my heart leap. "Anyone!" He evidently
accepted me, then, as an exception. In my present state of feeling for
his daughter, this was a comforting thought. I felt exultant as I went
over to the door and softl