Part 27 (2/2)

Going back to the beginning, Templeton Thorpe's death was in her mind the day she married him. It had never been a question with her as to how he should die, but _when_. But this way to the desired end could never have been included in her calculations. _This_ was not the way out.

She had been forced to take a stand with him in this unhappy business, and she would have to pay a cost that he could not share with her, for his conscience was clear. What were her thoughts to-day? With what ugly crime was she charging herself? Was she, in the secrecy of her soul, convicting herself of murder? Was _that_ what he had given her to think about all the rest of her life?

The servant was slow in answering the bell. They always are at the homes of doctors.

”Is Dr. Bates at home?”

”Office hours from eight to nine, and four to six.”

”Say that Dr. Thorpe wishes to see him.”

This seemed to make a difference. ”He is out, Dr. Thorpe. We expect him in any moment though. For lunch. Will you please to come in and wait?”

”Thank you.”

She felt called upon to deliver a bit of information. ”He went down to see Mrs. Thorpe, sir,-your poor grandmother.”

”I see,” said Braden dully. It did not occur to him that enlightenment was necessary. A queer little chill ran through his veins. Was Dr. Bates down there now, telling Anne all that he knew, and was she, in the misery of remorse, making him her confessor? In the light of these disturbing thoughts, he was fast becoming blind to the real object of this, the first of the three visits he was to make.

Dr. Bates found him staring gloomily from the window when he came into the office half an hour later, and at once put the wrong though obvious construction upon his mood.

”Come, come, my boy,” he said as they shook hands; ”put it out of your mind. Don't let the thing weigh like this. You knew what you were about yesterday, so don't look back upon what happened with-”

Braden interrupted him, irrelevantly. ”You've been down to see Mrs.

Thorpe. How is she? How does she appear to be taking it?” He spoke rapidly, nervously.

”As well as could be expected,” replied the older man drily. ”She is glad that it's all over. So are we all, for that matter.”

”Did she send for you?”

”Yes,” said Dr. Bates, after an instant's hesitation. ”I'll be frank with you, Braden. She wanted to know just what happened.”

”And you told her?”

”I told her that you did everything that a man could do,” said the other, choosing his words with care.

”In other words, you did not tell her what happened.”

”I did not, my boy. There is no reason why she should know. It is better that she should never know,” said Dr. Bates gravely.

”What did she say?” asked Braden sharply.

Dr. Bates suddenly was struck by the pallor in the drawn face. ”See here, Braden, you must get a little rest. Take my advice and-”

”Tell me what she had to say,” insisted the young man.

”She cried a little when I told her that you had done your best, and that's about all.”

”Didn't she confess that she expected-that she feared I might have-”

<script>