She turned a look of sympathy on Allerdyke, who, at that moment, realized that she was a very beautiful woman.
"You don't say so!" she exclaimed.

"Well, I'm really grieved to hear that--I am! Dead ?--and when I left! Why, I was in his room that very night we reached Hull, having a talk on the business matter I mentioned just now--he was well enough and lively enough then, I'll swear.
Dead!--why, what did he die of ?" The two men looked at each other.

There was a brief pause; then Allerdyke slowly produced a small packet, wrapped in tissue-paper, from his waistcoat pocket.

He laid it on the table at his side and looked at his hostess.
"I knew you had been in my cousin's room," he said.

"You left or dropped your shoe-buckle there.