"I told you before," he said, "that I am affected with a strange and unaccountable apathy with regard to this terrible murder. I try with all my might to get up sympathy for that poor unfortunate Everett. Try as I may, however, I utterly fail to feel even pity for him. Margaret, I would confess this to no one in the world but yourself. Everett is nothing to me--you are everything. Why should I postpone my happiness on Everett's account?" "You are not well, dearest," said Margaret, looking at him anxiously. "Yes, I am, Maggie," he replied. "You must not make me fanciful. I never felt better in my life, except----" Here he pressed his hand to his brow. "Except?" she repeated. "Nothing really--I have a curious sensation of numbness in the back of my head. I should think nothing at all about it but for the fact----" Here he paused, and looked ahead of him steadily. "But for what fact, Robert?" "You must have heard--it must have been whispered to you--every one all over the county knows that sometimes--sometimes, Maggie, queer things happen to men of our house." "Of course, I have heard of what you allude to," she answered brightly. "Do you think I mind? Do you think I believe in the thing? Not I. I am not superstitious in that way. So you, dear old fellow, are imagining that you are to be one of the victims of that dreadful old curse. Rest assured that you will be nothing of the kind. I have a cousin--he is in the medical profession--you shall know him when we go to London. I spoke to Dr. Rumsey once about this curious phase in your family history. He said it was caused by an extraordinary state of nerves, and that the resolute power of will was needed to overcome it. Dr. Rumsey is a very interesting man, Robert. He believed in heredity; who does not? but he also firmly believes that the power of will, rightly exercised, can be more powerful than heredity. Now, I don't mean you to be a victim to that old family failing, so please banish the thought from your mind once and for ever." Awdrey smiled at her. "You cheer me," he said. "I am a lucky man to have found such a woman as you to be my wife. You will help to bring forward all that is best in me. Margaret, I feel that through you I shall conquer the curse which lies in my blood." "There is no curse, Robert. When your grandfather married a strong-minded Scotch wife the curse was completely arrested--the spell removed." "Yes," said Awdrey, "of course you are perfectly right. My father has never suffered from a trace of the family malady, and as for me, I didn't know what nervousness meant until within the last month. I certainly have suffered from a stupid lapse of memory during the last month." "We all forget things at times," said Margaret. "What is it that worries you?" "Something so trifling that you will laugh when I tell you. You know my favorite stick?" "Of course. By the way, you have not used it lately."