Page:The woman, the man, and the monster (IA womanmanmonster00dawe).pdf/273

 moment he had entertained doubts of Brenton’s sanity he could now doubt no longer. Yet there was a cool, calm reasoning faculty about the man which could not be denied. If this were really madness, then did it seem doubly dangerous.

“Listen to me, Brenton,” he said, conceiving it the wiser course to approach the man without betraying a suspicion of his inner thoughts. “You quite believe, in the first place, that I was totally unaware of her relationship to you?”

“T must.”

“That she may be all you say I am rather inclined to doubt; but even if she were, that is no excuse for your gross treatment of her. I presume you have already guessed how I found her?”

“T think so.”

“Stark naked—tied to a tree! Your wife, Brenton—think! This is not the day of the heathen, but that of the civilised Christian. The savage who could be guilty of such an act makes himself amenable to the law of the land. Why, man, it becomes a matter for the police."