hurrying towards them.
“Can you spare us a few minutes, Dr. Hall?” said Sir James pleasantly. “Let
me introduce you to Miss Cowley. Mr. Hersheimmer, I think, you already know.”
A quizzical gleam came into the doctor’s eye as he shook hands with Julius.
“Ah, yes, my young friend of the tree episode! Ankle all right, eh?”
“I guess it’s cured owing to your skilful treatment, doc.”
“And the heart trouble? Ha ha!”
“Still searching,” said Julius briefly.
“To come to the point, can we have a word with you in private?” asked Sir
James.
“Certainly. I think there is a room here where we shall be quite
undisturbed.”
He led the way, and the others followed him. They sat down, and the doctor
looked inquiringly at Sir James.
“Dr. Hall, I am very anxious to find a certain young lady for the purpose
of obtaining a statement from her. I have reason to believe that she has been at
one time or another in your establishment at Bournemouth. I hope I am
transgressing no professional etiquette in questioning you on the subject?”
“I suppose it is a matter of testimony?”
Sir James hesitated a moment, then he replied:
“Yes.”
“I shall be pleased to give you any information in my power. What is the
young lady’s name? Mr. Hersheimmer asked me, I remember—-” He half turned to
Julius.
“The name,” said Sir James bluntly, “is really immaterial. She would be
almost certainly sent to you under an assumed one. But I should like to know if
you are acquainted with a Mrs. Vandemeyer?”
“Mrs. Vandemeyer, of 20 South Audley Mansions? I know her slightly.”
“You are not aware of what has happened?”
“What do you mean?”
“You do not know that Mrs. Vandemeyer is dead?” “Dear, dear, I had no idea
of it! When did it happen?”
“She took an overdose of chloral last night.”
“Purposely?”
“Accidentally, it is believed. I should not like to say myself. Anyway,
she was found dead this morning.”
“Very sad. A singularly handsome woman. I presume she was a friend of
yours, since you are acquainted with all these details.”
“I am acquainted with the details because–well, it was I who found her
dead.”
“Indeed,” said the doctor, starting.
“Yes,” said Sir James, and stroked his chin reflectively.
“This is very sad news, but you will excuse me if I say that I do not see
how it bears on the subject of your inquiry?”
“It bears on it in this way, is it not a fact that Mrs. Vandemeyer
committed a young relative of hers to your charge?”
Julius leaned forward eagerly.
“That is the case,” said the doctor quietly.
“Under the name of—-?”
“Janet Vandemeyer. I understood her to be a niece of Mrs. Vandemeyer’s.”
“And she came to you?”
“As far as I can remember in June or July of 1915.”
“Was she a mental case?”
“She is perfectly sane, if that is what you mean. I understood from Mrs.
Vandemeyer that the girl had been with her on the Lusitania when that ill-fated
ship was sunk, and had suffered a severe shock in consequence.”
“We’re on the right track, I think?” Sir James looked round.
“As I said before, I’m a mutt!” returned Julius.
The doctor looked at them all curiously.
“You spoke of wanting a statement from her,” he said. “Supposing she is not
able to give one?”
“What? You have just said that she is perfectly sane.”
“So she is. Nevertheless, if you want a statement from her concerning any
events prior to May 7, 1915, she will not be able to give it to you.”
They looked at the little man, stupefied. He nodded cheerfully.
“It’s a pity,” he said. “A great pity, especially as I gather, Sir James,
that the matter is important. But there it is, she can tell you nothing.”
“But why, man? Darn it all, why?”
The little man shifted his benevolent glance to the excited young American.
“Because Janet Vandemeyer is suffering from a complete loss of memory.”
“WHAT?”
“Quite so. An interesting case, a very interesting case. Not so uncommon,
really, as you would think. There are several very well known parallels. It’s