Julius leaned forward eagerly.

“That is the case,” said the doctor quietly.

“Under the name of——?”

“Janet Vandemeyer.  I understood her to be a niece of Mrs. Vandemeyer’s.”

“And she came to you?”

“As far as I can remember in June or July of 1915.”

“Was she a mental case?”

“She is perfectly sane, if that is what you mean.  I understood from Mrs. Vandemeyer that the girl had been with her on the Lusitania when that ill-fated ship was sunk, and had suffered a severe shock in consequence.”

“We’re on the right track, I think?” Sir James looked round.

“As I said before, I’m a mutt!” returned Julius.

The doctor looked at them all curiously.

“You spoke of wanting a statement from her,” he said.  “Supposing she is not able to give one?”

“What?  You have just said that she is perfectly sane.”

“So she is.  Nevertheless, if you want a statement from her concerning any events prior to May 7, 1915, she will not be able to give it to you.”

They looked at the little man, stupefied.  He nodded cheerfully.

“It’s a pity,” he said.  “A great pity, especially as I gather, Sir James, that the matter is important.  But there it is, she can tell you nothing.”

“But why, man?  Darn it all, why?”

The little man shifted his benevolent glance to the excited young American.

“Because Janet Vandemeyer is suffering from a complete loss of memory.”

“What?”

“Quite so.  An interesting case, a very interesting case.  Not so uncommon, really, as you would think.  There are several very well known parallels.  It’s the first case of the kind that I’ve had under my own personal observation, and I must admit that I’ve found it of absorbing interest.”  There was something rather ghoulish in the little man’s satisfaction.

“And she remembers nothing,” said Sir James slowly.

“Nothing prior to May 7, 1915.  After that date her memory is as good as yours or mine.”

“Then the first thing she remembers?”

“Is landing with the survivors.  Everything before that is a blank.  She did not know her own name, or where she had come from, or where she was.  She couldn’t even speak her own tongue.”

“But surely all this is most unusual?” put in Julius.

“No, my dear sir.  Quite normal under the circumstances.  Severe shock to the nervous system.  Loss of memory proceeds nearly always on the same lines.  I suggested a specialist, of course.  There’s a very good man in Paris—­makes a study of these cases—­but Mrs. Vandemeyer opposed the idea of publicity that might result from such a course.”

“I can imagine she would,” said Sir James grimly.

“I fell in with her views.  There is a certain notoriety given to these cases.  And the girl was very young—­nineteen, I believe.  It seemed a pity that her infirmity should be talked about—­might damage her prospects.  Besides, there is no special treatment to pursue in such cases.  It is really a matter of waiting.”