DR. PAULL’S THEORY _A ROMANCE_ BY MRS. A. M. DIEHL AUTHOR OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN, ETC. [Illustration] NEW YORK D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 1893 COPYRIGHT, 1893, BY D. APPLETON AND COMPANY. ELECTROTYPED AND PRINTED AT THE APPLETON PRESS, U. S. A. DEDICATED TO HENRY IRVING, ESQ. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. FATE 1 II. AN INITIAL LETTER 12 III. EXTRACT FROM THE DIARY OF HUGH PAULL 25 IV. A MORAL DUEL 56 V. A STARTLING PROPOSAL 82 VI. THE LOCKET 104 VII. FOUND IN AN OLD NOTEBOOK OF LILIA PYM 123 VIII. DIARY OF HUGH PAULL 139 IX. THE BEGINNING OF THE SEQUEL 155 X. A DISAPPOINTMENT 186 XI. MERCEDES 197 XII. “’TWIXT THE CUP AND THE LIP” 213 XIII. HER DREAM 224 XIV. A QUESTIONABLE DOCTRINE 238 XV. EXTRACT FROM THE DIARY OF DR. HUGH PAULL 251 XVI. MIZPAH 268 DR. PAULL’S THEORY. CHAPTER I. FATE. Hugh Paull, house-surgeon to a great City hospital, was seated at his writing-desk. During his spare time he was working at a treatise on nervous disease, the special subject which attracted him. It was a day when a certain public event was disturbing the usual City routine. The thoroughfares near to the hospital were blocked, and his room was quieter than usual. He had almost forgotten that he was liable to be disturbed, when a tap came at his door. “Wanted, sir. Accident just brought in.” The porter spoke, standing in the doorway. Hugh laid down his pen with a sigh. “Has Mr. Hamley taken the case?” “Yes, sir. They are getting him into the ward. Old gentleman—carriage accident. Horse frightened and bolted. Two bobbies brought him in.” “All right, I’ll come.”