secret acts can be brought to light; for you seem to have forgotten that
there is One, whose eye never slumbers, whose ear is always open to the
prayer of the distressed and to the voice of the blood of the innocent,
which crieth from the ground as did the blood of Abel."

"Ah, what a pity it is you are not a parson, or at least a parson's wife!
You really talk like a preacher; but I fear your discourse has produced
little more effect upon _your_ auditory than do the polished words of a
fashionable divine upon _his_; all very fine, but fancy sketches are not
apt to effect as much with sober, common-sense people, as is the truth."

This was said with something of returning assurance, Duffel having tried to
work himself into the belief that all was guess-work on the part of
Eveline, so far as her accusations were concerned. She saw this, and in a
moment the remembrance of her dream that morning flashed across her mind,
and she determined to try the effect a reference to the scenes which passed
in review before her mental vision would have upon him:

"Sir, your assumed assurance would soon leave you if you were in a
court-room, and the evidence of your guilt, as I have it, detailed by
witnesses. When your secret conference with those vile instruments--not yet
so vile as yourself--whom it has pleased you to use as tools, were made
known before a court and jury, your brazen impudence would depart, and the
specter of a gibbet in the distance--and but a short distance, too--would
pale your unblushing cheek and palsy your false tongue, skillful as you may
have been in casting blame upon others by deceptive and lying words. When
it was proved that _you_ stole my father's horse; that _you_ are
responsible for the absence of Mr. Hadley; that _you_ pointed the knife and
the pistol at his heart, and then mendaciously represented him as the thief
and kidnapper who is found in your own person; then, sir, would you vail
your face and go out no more among men, but upon your forehead, as _now_
upon your soul, would be the brand of _thief_, _robber_, _murderer_! Ay,
well may you cower! well may the cold sweat force itself out upon your
brow! Did it never enter into your debased mind that the villain who is
degraded enough to sell himself to crime for a little sordid dust, will,
for a larger sum, betray his employer? Do you suppose that when _you_
meditate vengeance upon your tools, they will idly await your pleasure and
plans, and lift n