Burkham," said Valentine, at once assured that there was
something more than common in the surgeon's look and gesture; and
determined to fathom the mystery, let it be what it might.
"O dear no," said the surgeon nervously; "I was not agitated, only
surprised. It was surprising to me to hear the name of a patient so long
forgotten. And so the lady to whom you are engaged is a daughter of Mr.
Halliday's? The wife--Mrs. Halliday--is still living, I suppose?"
"Yes; but the lady who was then Mrs. Halliday is now Mrs. Sheldon."
"Of course; he married her," said Mr. Burkham. "Yes; I remember hearing
of the marriage."
He had tried in vain to recover his old composure. He was white to the
lips, and his hand shook as he tried to arrange his scattered papers.
"What does it mean?" thought Valentine. "Mrs. Sheldon talked of this
man's inexperience. Can it be that his incompetency lost the life of his
patient, and that he knows it was so?"
"Mrs. Halliday is now Mrs. Sheldon," repeated the surgeon, in a feeble
manner. "Yes, I remember; and Mr. Sheldon--the dentist, who at that time
resided in Fitzgeorge Street--is he still living?"
"He is still living. It was he who called in Dr. Doddleson to attend upon
Miss Halliday. As her stepfather, he has some amount of authority, you
see; not legal authority--for my dear girl is of age--but social
authority. He called in Doddleson, and appears to place confidence in
him; and as he is something of a medical man himself, and pretends to
understand Miss Halliday's case thoroughly--"
"Stop!" cried Mr.
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