it might have been the 15th or the 16th: it was Friday the 14th, she
thought.... It was a great event to her; the most awful event in her
whole life; yet she could not remember the day for certain.
"Did you tell anyone of what had taken place?"
"No."
"Not even your father?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I did not wish to give him pain."
"But you went back to Dr. Wilde's study after the awful assault?"
"Yes."
"You went again and again, did you not?"
"Yes."
"Did he ever attempt to repeat the offence?"
"Yes."
The audience was thunderstruck; the plot was deepening. Miss Travers
went on to say that the Doctor was rude to her again; she did not know
his intention; he took hold of her and tried to fondle her; but she
would not have it.
"After the second offence you went back?"
"Yes."
"Did he ever repeat it again?"
"Yes."
Miss Travers said that once again Dr. Wilde had been rude to her.
"Yet you returned again?"
"Yes."
"And you took money from this man who had violated you against your
will?"
"Yes."
"You asked him for money?"
"Yes."
"This is the first time you have told about this second and third
assault, is it not?"
"Yes," the witness admitted.
So far all that Miss Travers had said hung together and seemed
eminently credible; but when she was questioned about the chloroform
and the handkerchief she became confused. At the outset she admitted
that the handkerchief might have been a rag. She was not certain it
was a rag. It was something she saw the doctor throw into the fire
when she came to her senses.
"Had he kept it in his hands, then, all the time you were
unconscious?"
"I don't know."
"Just to show it to you?"
The witness was silent.
When she was examined as to her knowledge of chloroform, she broke
down hopelessly. She did not know the smell of it; could not describe
it; did not know whether it burnt or not; could not in fact swear that
it was chloroform Dr. Wilde had used; would not swear that it was
anything; believed that it was chloroform or something like it because
she lost consciousness. That was her only reason for saying that
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