Page:Edgar Jepson--the four philanthropists.djvu/224

216 "Dementia—acute dementia, I fear." And forthwith he plunged into an account of her symptoms, and of how he had for some time observed the insidious advance of the disease, and looked round in vain for some responsible person to inform of what was impending. He ended by saying, "This morning the poor lady called me a doddering old idiot."

He was the very doctor we wanted; and our murmur of sympathy was not untinged with the proper amazement.

Then Marmaduke made a point I had impressed on him. "This is very serious," he said solemnly, "very serious. The worst of it is, I don't know anything about her relations. I never heard of her having any."

"No more has any one else," said the doctor. "Have you, Brodrick?"

The lawyer shook his head.

"Is there any immediate danger?" I said. "Perhaps it would be better for Jubb to wait a few days on the chance of some relation turning up."

"The danger is immediate!" cried the doctor. "She has just had an acute attack of suicidal mania! To-morrow it may be homicidal!"

"It's very serious, indeed," said Marmaduke. "What steps do you propose I should take?"

"There can be no doubt about what you should