“But all the time, she was going down the hill steadily, although, as I have said, there were remissions and fluctuations; and, in short, after about a year’s definite illness, she went the way of her mother. Her death was immediately caused, I understand, by an attack of hemorrhage.”
“You understand?” Thorndyke repeated, interrogatively.
“Yes. To my lasting grief, I was away from home when she died. I had been recently called to the bar and was offered a brief for the Chelmsford Assizes, which I felt I ought not to refuse, especially as Stella seemed, just then, to be better than usual. What made it worse was that the telegram which was sent to recall me went astray. I had moved on to Ipswich and had only just written to give my new address, so that I did not get home until just before
