.

And when she--she left you so suddenly--Phil, dear--I _feared_ the true reason--the only possible reason that could be responsible for such an insane act." "What was the truth about her father ?" he said doggedly.

"He was eccentric; was he ever worse than that ?" "The truth was that he became mentally irresponsible before his death." "You _know_ this ?" "Alixe told me when we were schoolgirls.

And for days she was haunted with the fear of what might one day be her inheritance.

That is all I know, Phil." He nodded and for a while made some pretence of eating, but presently leaned back and looked at his sister out of dazed eyes.
"Do you suppose," he said heavily, "that _she_ was not entirely responsible when--when she went away ?" "I have wondered," said Nina simply.