"I would certainly--supposing this not to be a hypothetical case----"
"Which it is," interposed Dr. Cooper, "purely hypothetical."
"Exactly. How could it be otherwise? But such conversations are most interesting to an outsider like myself. Supposing then, this not to be a hypothetical case, I would certainly be glad of any chance to be even with the person who has imposed upon me. Carrying the hypothesis further, what should you say became of the body of the--did you say a lady?"
"No, I don't think I said a lady; but let it be a lady, for the sake of argument."
"What became of the body--though that's a stupid question, because, of course, it was buried in the usual way?"
"It might not have been. There's such a thing as cremation."
What turn the conversation would have taken after this startling observation it is out of my power to say, for the slatternly wife of the doctor made her appearance here, and told my tipsy companion that a patient required his immediate attention.
An hour afterward I was once more in Lamb's Terrace.
BARBARA GIVES US SOME VALUABLE INFORMATION.
"We thought you were lost," said Bob, and Barbara looked up with a smile, a sign that she regarded me as a friend.
They had waited dinner for me, and I was surprised to see on the table quite an imposing array of crockery.
"Where does all this come from?" I asked.
"We have made discoveries," replied Bob, giving me a significant look. "Barbara here had no idea what was in the house, which proves that she is not one of the prying kind. All sorts of things have been bundled out of sight in odd nooks and corners, crockery, cutlery, table linen, and goodness only knows what. We have made another room ready for Barbara to sleep in to-night; it is on the same floor as this, and she says she is not afraid."
"Not a bit," said Barbara, "now I aint in the 'ouse alone."
"And she's going to bed early," added Bob.
"As soon as ever you tell me," said Barbara.
The dinner they had prepared was not at all a bad one, and I was hungry enough to enjoy a much worse fare. To Barbara it was a veritable feast, and she did as much justice to it as she had done to the breakfast. The moment we finished she jumped up, and took the plates and dishes to her own room where she washed them up.