“Will you inform me, as briefly as possible, as to the condition of things existing at the time this partial suspension of life took place?”
The physician addressed Mrs. Dainty.
“I think she was frightened at something said by George,” Mrs. Dainty answered.
“What was that something?”
“He said that our governess had a snake in her bosom, and that snakes were crawling all over her.”
The doctor looked thoughtfully upon the floor, and waited for additional information. But Mrs. Dainty said nothing further. Little George was standing close to the bedside. As the doctor raised his head, his eyes rested upon the boy’s face.
“I think,” he said, as he looked at the bright-eyed child, “that you must have seen very sharp to find serpents about Miss Harper.”
“Oh, it wasn’t Miss Harper!” replied the boy, in a quick tone: “she’s lovely!”
“Who, then, was it? I thought Miss Harper was governess to your children?” And the physician turned to Mrs. Dainty.
“No, sir; Miss Harper is no longer the governess of my children.”