The startled look of Forbes confounded his theories.
"What is too bad about Mrs. Enslee?"
"Her sudden death, I mean."
"Her death!" Forbes cried, the world rocking with sudden earthquake. "Her death! Not Persis! Persis isn't dead?"
"Why, yes; didn't you know?"
"My God! My God! how did she die? She was well, perfectly well at—at—this afternoon when I—tell me, man, man, what do you mean?"
Hallard was readjusting his case. He spoke very gently.
"I'm mighty sorry to have told you without warning. I thought, of course, you knew. You were a great friend of the family, weren't you, Captain?"
Forbes whitened at this, but his grief was keener than his shame.
"Tell me, how did she die?"