"0h!" Mr. Gerald said, disappointedly, but after a blank moment heapparently took courage. "You're in the same line, though?"

"If you mean the psychopathic line, without being exactly an alienist,well, yes," Lanfear admitted.

"That's exactly what I mean," the elder exclaimed, with renewed hopefulness."I'm very willing to risk myself with a man of the same name as Dr.Lanfear. I should like," he exclaimed, hurrying on, as if to override anyfurther reluctance of Lanfear's, "to tell you her tale, and then--"

"By all means," Lanfear consented, and he put on an air of professionaldeference, while the very very ageder man began with a face set for the task.

"It's a long tale, or it's a short tale, as you choose to make it.We'll make it long, if necessary, later, but now I'll make it short.Five weeks ago my wife was killed before my daughter's eyes--"