Miss Carmen," began Ellis easily, "your parentage has been a matter
of some dispute, if I mistake not, and--"

Cass was on his feet to object. What had this question to do with the
issue?

But the judge overruled the objection. That was what he was there for.
Cass should have divined it by this time.

"H'm!" Ellis cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses. "And your
father, it is said, was a negro priest. I believe that has been
accepted for some time. A certain Diego, if I recall correctly."

"I never knew my earthly father," replied Carmen in a low voice.

"But you have admitted that it might have been this Diego, have you
not?"

"It might have been," returned the girl, looking off absently toward
the high windows.

"Did he not claim you as his daughter?" pursued the lawyer.

"Yes," softly.

"Now," continued Ellis, "that being reasonably settled, is it not also
true that you used the claim of possessing this mine, La Libertad, as
a pretext for admission to society here in New York?"

The girl did not answer, but only smiled pityingly at him. He, too,
had bartered his soul; and in her heart there rose a great sympathy
for him in his awful mesmerism.

"And that you claimed to be an Inca princess?" went on the merciless
lawyer.

"Answer!" admonished the judge, looking severely down upon the silent
girl.

Carmen sighed, and drew her gaze away from the windows. She was weary,
oh, so weary of this unspeakable mockery. And yet she was there to
prove her God.

"I would like to ask this further question," Ellis resumed, without
waiting for her reply. "Were you not at one time in a resort conducted
by Madam Cazeau, down on--"

He stopped short. The girl's eyes were looking straight into his, and
they seemed to have pierced his soul. "I am sorry for you," she said
gently, "oh, so sorry! Yes, I was once in that place."

The man knew not whether to smile in triumph or hide his head in
shame. He turned to Hood. But Hood would not look at him. Ames alone
met his embarrassed glance, and sent back a command to continue the
attack.

Cass again rose and voiced his protest. What possible relation to the
issue involved could such testimony have? But the judge bade him sit
down, as the counsel for the prosecution doubtless was bringing out
facts of greatest importance.

Ellis again cleared his throat and bent to his loathsome task. "Now,
Miss Ariza, in reference to your labors to incite the mill hands at
Avon to