ABOUT BOOK

Dr. Rumsey's Patient is young Squire Awdrey, whose family laboured under an hereditary curse. It brought an extraordinary loss of memory for matters of grave moment, combined with perfect remembrance of minor details. Two undergraduates, staying at the village inn, are greatly attracted by the innkeeper's niece. The girl is the village beauty and has secretly set her heart on the young Squire, though she amuses herself with the undergraduates at the inn. Young Frere becomes madly in love with the girl, and conceives a jealous passion against Awdrey. He attacks him in a wood, Awdrey defends himself and accidentally kills Frere. The family curse falls on him, he forgets what has happened, and the innkeeper's niece, who has seen the struggle, commits perjury to save him. Frere's companion is convicted and sentenced to penal servitude. How Awdrey recovers his memory after some painful years and clears the condemned man the book itself must tell. It is as exciting as the detective romance which wins such wide favour in the present day, and will certainly supply all the excitement which a reader can desire. Margaret Douglas, who marries Awdrey, is a very noble character--her portrait is the gem of the book.