“You got all the local gossip anyway,” I remarked. “True, and untrue.”

 

“And a great deal of valuable information,” he added quietly.

 

“Such as——?”

 

He shook his head.

 

“Why not have told me the truth?” he countered. “In a place like this, all Ralph

Paton’s doings were bound to be known. If your sister had not happened to pass

through the wood that day somebody else would have done so.”

 

“I suppose they would,” I said grumpily. “What about this interest of yours in

my patients?”

 

Again he twinkled.

 

“Only one of them, doctor. Only one of them.”

 

“The last?” I hazarded.

 

“I find Miss Russell a study of the most interesting,” he said evasively.

 

“Do you agree with my sister and Mrs. Ackroyd that there is something fishy