e
myself no more about this matter. If Dr. Hildstein fails, you will still
have your man to do your copying, or your surveying, or anything you
like. If he succeeds, we are all in the same condition we were a year
ago. 'That subject did not exist at that time; he does not exist at this
time;' that will be all we shall have to say about it."

"You forget," I said, severely, "the wife he may leave behind him."

"I have nothing to say about that," said Corbridge, rather sharply. "It
is a reprehensible business, and I have nothing to do with it."

I went away without seeing the German doctor, but as I heard he spoke no
English, and as I did not know German, an interview with him would have
been of no avail.

Neither Mrs. Colesworthy nor myself slept that night; we were so filled
with anxious fears. But when the day broke, bright and clear, and I had
hurried round to Mr. Kilbright's lodgings, and had found him as full of
life and vigor as I had ever seen him, we were greatly comforted, and
ate our breakfasts with fair appetites.

"If it had been a dark and lowering day," said my wife, "I don't believe
I could have swallowed a mouthful."

The marriage was to take place at noon, and the happy pair were to start
by the first afternoon train for the sea-shore, where they were to spend
a week. Mr. Kilbright hated locomotives and railroads almost as much as
ever, but he had told me some time before that he intended to conquer
this prejudice, if such a thing were possible.

"Being one of you, I must do as you do," he had said.

The wedding was to be a very simple one. Miss Budworth was to go from
her mother's house to the church, where Mr. Kilbright was to meet her.
We insisted that he should dress at our house, where he would find
better accommodations than at his lodgings; and we assigned him our best
guest-room, where he repaired in very good season, to array himself in
his wedding suit.

It was not quite eleven o'clock when I went upstairs to see if I could
be of any use to Mr. Kilbright in regard to the conclusion of his
toilette. I knocked at the door, but received no answer. Waiting a few
moments, I opened it and entered. On the floor, in front of a tall
dressing-glass, was a suit of clothes. Not only did I see the black
broadcloth suit--not laid out at length, but all in a compact heap--but
I saw the shoes and stockings, the collar and cravat; everything. Near
by lay a whisk broom.

The truth was plain. While gi