Volume Three—Chapter One.
An Unsuitable Messenger.
“Hartley, you horrify me,” said Mary, after she had listened to her brother’s account of his visit. “He must have been ill or under some strange influence.”
“Influence?” cried Salis drily; “well, that means drink, Mary.”
“Oh, no, no, no!” cried the poor girl warmly. “He told you he was ill, and he may have been taking some very potent medicine.”
“Extremely,” said Salis.
“Hartley, for shame!” cried Mary, with her eyes flashing. “You left here an hour ago full of faith and trust in the friend of many years’ standing. You find him ill and peculiar in his manner, and you come back here ready to think all manner of evil of him. Is this just?”
“But he was so very strange and peculiar, my child. You cannot imagine how queer.”