revolving that
profound question in his man's brain, and so unable to solve the enigma
as the thousands of his brethren who have perplexed themselves over the
same question before. After staring a moment at the blinding whirl of
snow he returned to the seamstress.

"Are you all right again, and ready to listen to me?"

Her answer was a question.

"How have you found this out?"

"I haven't found it out. I have only my own suspicions--very strong
ones, though."

A shadow of doubt saddened and darkened her face. Her clasped hands
drooped and fell.

"Only a suspicion, after all! I am afraid to hope, seems so unreal, so
improbable. If it were Harry, why should he be here? Why should Captain
Danton protect and shield him?"

"That is what I am coming to. You knew very little of your husband
before you married him. Are you sure he did not marry you under an
assumed name?"

A flash of colour darted across her colourless face at the words. Doctor
Danton saw it.

"Are you sure Darling was your husband's name?" he reiterated,
emphatically.

"I am not sure," she said faintly. "I have reason to think it was not."

"Do you know what his name was?"

"No."

"Then I do. I think his name was Danton."

"Danton!"

"Henry Richard Danton--Captain Danton's only son."

She looked at him in breathless wonder.

"Captain Danton's only son," went on the Doctor. "You have not lived all
these months in this house without knowing that Captain Danton had a
son?"

"I have heard it."

"Three years ago this son ran away from home, and went to New York,
under an assumed name. Three years ago Henry Darling came first to New
York from Canada. Henry Darling commits a crime, and flies. A few months
after Captain Danton comes here, with a mysterious invalid, who is never
seen, who is too ill to leave his room by day, but quite able to go out
for midnight rambles in the grounds. Old Margery has known Captain
Danton's son from childhood. She sees Mr. Richards returning from one of
those midnight walks, and falls down in a fit. She says she has seen
Master Harry's ghost--Master Harry being currently believed to be dead.
Shortly after, you see Mr. Richards on a like occasion, and you fall
down in a fit. You say you have seen the apparition of your husband,
Henry Darling. Putting all this together, and adding it up, what does it
come to? Are you good at figures?"

She could not answer him. The ungovernable astonishment of hearing what