arefully, and produce it at the inquest," he said.
"I don't know, though, that it is likely to lead to anything. The bit
of stuff may have been lying on the pavement near her, and her hand
may have unconsciously clutched it when she fell. Was she subject to
fainting-fits?"

"Not more so, sir, than other young girls who are hard-worked and
anxious, and weakly from poor living," I answered.

"I can't say that she may not have got that blow from a fall," the
doctor went on, locking at her temple again. "I can't say that it
presents any positive appearance of having been inflicted by another
person. It will be important, however, to ascertain what state of
health she was in last night. Have you any idea where she was yesterday
evening?"

I told him where she was employed at work, and said I imagined she must
have been kept there later than usual.

"I shall pass the place this morning" said the doctor, "in going
my rounds among my patients, and I'll just step in and make some
inquiries."

I thanked him, and we parted. Just as he was closing the door he looked
in again.

"Was she your sister?" he asked.

"No, sir, only my dear friend."

He said nothing more, but I heard him sigh as he shut the door softly.
Perhaps he once had a sister of his own, and lost her? Perhaps she was
like Mary in the face?

The doctor was hours gone away. I began to feel unspeakably forlorn and
helpless, so much so as even to wish selfishly that Robert might really
have sailed from America, and might get to London in time to assist and
console me.

No living creature came into the room but Sally. The first time she
brought me some tea; the second and third times she only looked in to
see if there was any change, and glanced her eye toward the bed. I had
never known her so silent before; it seemed almost as if this dreadful
accident had struck her dumb. I ought to have spoken to her, perhaps,
but there was something in her face that daunted me; and, besides, the
fever of anxiety I was in began to dry up my lips, as if they would
never be able to shape any words again. I was still tormented by that
frightful apprehension of the past night, that she would die without my
knowing it--die without saying one word to clear up the awful mystery
of this blow, and set the suspicions at rest forever which I still felt
whenever my eyes fell on the end of the old cravat.

At last the doctor came back.

"I think you may safely clear your mind of an