as a matter of course. We found the lobbies almost deserted, and here I suddenly faced her and tried to use argument.
"You are unnecessarily sensitive and alarmed," I said. "I assure you that I speak with knowledge, as I am a member of the medical profession, against which your father has such a prejudice. A man as ill as you describe your father to be would not stop to light a cigar. I took the liberty of having a good look at your father when he was leaving the theatre, and he did not appear ill. A medical man sees tokens of illness before anyone else. Please rest assured that there is nothing much the matter."
"Do you think," she answered, flashing an angry glance at me, "that if there is nothing the matter, my father would leave me here alone? Do you think he cares so little about me that he would not return to take me home?"
I had no reply to make to this. Of course, it was scarcely likely that any father would leave so beautiful a young girl unprotected in a theatre at night.
"And," she continued, "how do you know that the gentleman who asked for a cigar was my father? There may have been somebody else here with white hair."
I felt convinced that the man who lit a cigar and the father of this young girl were identical, but again I had no answer to make.
"I must go home," she said. "I am terribly anxious—my father may be dead when I get be dead when I get home—he may not have gone home at all. Oh, what shall I do? He is all the world to me; if he dies, I shall die or go mad."
"I am sure your fears are exaggerated," I began, "but perhaps the best thing you can do is to go home. Have you a carriage—shall I see if it has arrived?"
"My father and I have a private hansom," she answered. "It may not have come yet, but perhaps it has. I will go with you, if you will allow me. You wouldn't recognise the hansom."
"Then take my arm," I said.
I led her downstairs. I am not impressionable, but the feel of her little fingers on my coat-sleeve was, to say the least of it, sympathetic. I earnestly wished to help her, and her exaggerated fears did not seem unnatural to me.
The private hansom was waiting just round the corner. It had arrived on the scene in good time, for the play would not be over for nearly another hour. I helped the young lady.in." She was trembling very much, and her face, lit up by the gaslight, looked pale.
"Would you like me to see you home?" I asked. "I will, with pleasure."
"Oh, if you would be so kind!" she answered. "And did not you say that you are a medical man? If my father is ill, it might be possible for you to prescribe for him."
"He will not allow it, I fear," I answered. "You say he has no faith in doctors."
"No more he has, but when he gets these strange, these terrible seizures, he is often unconscious for a long, long time. Oh, do please see me home, Dr. ———"
"Halifax," I answered.
"Thank you, so much. My name is Whitby—Leonora Whitby. Please; Dr. Halifax, come home with me, and prescribe for my father if you possibly can."
"I will come with you with pleasure," I answered. I stepped into the hansom as I spoke.
She made way for me to seat myself by her side. The sweep of her long black lace dress fell partly over my legs. The hansom driver opened the little window in the roof for directions.
"What address am I to give?" I said to Leonora Whitby.
"Tell him to go back," she answered, quickly.
"Go back," I shouted to the man. He slapped down the little window and we started forward at a brisk pace. It was not until long afterwards that I remembered that I was going away with a strange girl, to a place I knew nothing about, the address even of which was unknown to me.
It was a splendid starlight night; the air was very balmy. It blew into our faces as we travelled westward. First of all we dashed down Piccadilly. We passed Hyde Park Corner, and turned in the direction of those innumerable squares and fashionable houses which lie west of St. George's Hospital. Leonora talked as we drove together. seemed to be almost in good spirits. Once she said to me very earnestly:—
"I do not know how to thank you. It is impossible for me to tell you how deeply indebted I am to you."
"Don't mention it," I answered.
"But I must," she replied. "I cannot be merely conventional, when I am treated so unconventionally. Another man would not have noticed a girl's anxiety, nor a girl's distress. Another man would not have lost half the play to help an anxious girl. Another man would not have put complete faith in a stranger as you have done, Dr. Halifax."
