The doctor's smile was the least possible shade wintry.
"When you have lived a few years longer in this world of ours, you will not probe too deeply into motives; you will take the deed as the sufficient exponent of the prompting behind it. If I say so much, you will understand that I am not impugning Miss Grierson's motives. There are times when she is the good angel of everybody in sight."
"And this is one of the times?" persisted the analyst.
"We shall say that this is one of the times: say it and stick to it, Mr.----"
The pause after the courtesy title was significant, and Griswold filled it promptly. "Griswold--Kenneth Griswold. Do you mean to say that you haven't known my name, doctor?"
"We have not. We took the Good Samaritan's privilege and ransacked your belongings--Miss Margery and I--thinking that there might be relatives or friends who should be notified."
"And you found nothing?" queried the sick man, a cold fear gripping at his heart.
"Absolutely nothing to tell us who you were; no cards, letters, or memoranda of any kind. The conclusion was obvious: some one had taken advantage of your illness on the train and had picked your pockets."
Griswold moistened his lips and swallowed hard. "There were two suit-cases: were they lost?"
"Nothing but clothing and your toilet tools, a pistol, and a typewritten book manuscript bearing no signature."
Griswold turned his face away and shut his eyes. Once more his stake in the game of life was gone.
"There was another package of--of papers in one of the grips," he said, faintly; "quite a large package wrapped in brown paper."
"Valuables?" queried the doctor, sympathetically curious.
"We found nothing but the manuscript. Could any one else make use of the papers you speak of?"
Griswold was too feeble to prevaricate successfully.
"There was money in the package," he said, leaving the physician to infer what he pleased.
"Ah; then you were robbed. It's a pity we didn't know it at the time. It is pretty late to begin looking for the thief now, I'm afraid."
"Quite too late," said Griswold monotonously.
"Don't let the material loss depress you, Mr. Griswold," he said, with encouraging kindliness. "The one loss that couldn't have been retrieved is a danger past for you now, I'm glad to say. Be cheerful and patient, and we'll soon have you a sound man again. You have a magnificent constitution and fine recuperative powers; otherwise we should have buried you within a week of your arrival."