I have never
heard of her brother since. I expect he is dead by this time.
It is over twenty years ago. But you can now understand why
Mrs. Octagon objects to the marriage. She has never forgiven
me for not making her my wife."
Cuthbert nodded again. "But I can't understand why she should
have consented at all, only to alter her mind when Selina
died."
"I can't understand that myself. But I decline to mix myself
up in the matter. You will have to learn the reason
yourself."
"I intend to," said Mallow rising, "and the reason I am
certain is connected with the violent death of her sister!" A
speech to which Caranby replied by shaking his head. He did
not agree with the idea.
"And you see, in spite of Mrs. Octagon's hint, I had no reason
to kill Selina," said Caranby gravely. "I cannot understand
why Isabella should accuse me--"
CHAPTER VI
A PERPLEXING CASE
The morning after his visit to Lord Caranby, Mallow was
unexpectedly called to Devonshire on account of his mother's
illness. Mrs. Mallow was a fretful hypochondriac, who always
imagined herself worse than she really was. Cuthbert had
often been summoned to her dying bed, only to find that she
was alive and well. He expected that this summons would be
another false alarm, but being a dutiful son, he tore himself
away from town and took the mid-day express to Exeter. As he
expected, Mrs. Mallow was by no means so bad as she hinted in
her wire, and Cuthbert was vexed that she should have called
him down, but she insisted that he should remain, and,
unwilling to cause her pain, he did so.
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