stepfather’s case it had, I believe, been intensified by his long

residence in the tropics. A series of disgraceful brawls took place, two of

which ended in the police-court, until at last he became the terror of the

village, and the folks would fly at his approach, for he is a man of immense

strength, and absolutely uncontrollable in his anger.


“Last week he hurled the local blacksmith over a parapet into a stream,

and it was only by paying over all the money which I could gather together that

I was able to avert another public exposure. He had no friends at all save the

wandering gipsies, and he would give these vagabonds leave to encamp upon the

few acres of bramble-covered land which represent the family estate, and would

accept in return the hospitality of their tents, wandering away with them

sometimes for weeks on end. He has a passion also for Indian animals, which are

sent over to him by a correspondent, and he has at this moment a cheetah and a

baboon, which wander freely over his grounds and are feared by the villagers

almost as much as their master.


“You can imagine from what I say that my poor sister Julia and I had no

great pleasure in our lives. No servant would stay with us, and for a long time

we did all the work of the house. She was but thirty at the time of her death,

and yet her hair had already begun to whiten, even as mine has.”


“Your sister is dead, then?”


“She died just two years ago, and it is of her death that I wish to speak

to you. You can understand that, living the life which I have described, we

were little likely to see anyone of our own age and position. We had, however,

an aunt, my mother’s maiden sister, Miss Honoria Westphail, who lives

near Harrow, and we were occasionally allowed to pay short visits at this

lady’s house. Julia went there at Christmas two years ago, and met there

a half-pay major of marines, to whom she became engaged. My stepfather learned