"As a
physician, I must report the cause of all deaths in the range of my
practice. If I were not to do so in this case, a permit for burial
would not be issued until a regular inquest was held by the
Coroner."
"Ah, I see," she replied, yet with an air of indecision. "You are
perfectly right, Doctor, and we must answer to your satisfaction.
But let us retire from this chamber."
She led the way down stairs. As we passed the memorable north-west
room, she pushed the door open, and said,
"Blanche, dear, I wish to see you. Come down to the parlor."
I heard faintly the answer, in a very musical voice. We had scarcely
entered the parlor, when the lady said--
"My daughter, Doctor."
A vision of beauty and innocence met my gaze. A young girl, not over
seventeen, tall like her mother, very fair, with a face just subdued
into something of womanly seriousness, stood in the door, as I
turned at mention of her presence.
A single lamp gave its feeble light to the room, only half subduing
the shadows that went creeping into corners and recesses. Something
of a weird aspect was on every thing; and I could not but gaze at
the two strangers in that strange place to them, under such peculiar
circumstances, and wonder to see them so calm, dignified, and
self-possessed.
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