n ill-defined terror. Jane's voice frightened her.

"Why?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"Because Captain Holt or someone else will, if you don't."

"What right has he or anybody else to meddle with my affairs?" Lucy
retorted in an indignant tone.

"Because he cannot help it. I intended to keep the news from you for a
time, but from what you have just told me you had best hear it now.
Barton Holt is alive. He has been in Brazil all these years, in the
mines. He has written to his father that he is coming home."

All the color faded from Lucy's cheeks.

"Bart! Alive! Coming home! When?"

"He will be here day after to-morrow; he is at Amboy, and will come by
the weekly packet. What I can do I will. I have worked all my life to
save you, and I may yet, but it seems now as if I had reached the end
of my rope."

"Who said so? Where did you hear it? It CAN'T be true!"

Jane shook her head. "I wish it was not true--but it is--every word of
it. I have read his letter."

Lucy sank back in her chair, her cheeks livid, a cold perspiration
moistening her forehead. Little lines that Jane had never noticed began
to gather about the corners of her mouth; her eyes were wide open, with
a strained, staring expression. What she saw was Max's eyes looking
into her own, that same cold, cynical expression on his face she had
sometimes seen when speaking of other women he had known.

"What's he coming for?" Her voice was thick and barely audible.

"To claim his son."

"He--says--he'll--claim--Archie--as--his--son!" she gasped. "I'd like
to see any man living dare to--"

"But he can TRY, Lucy--no one can prevent that, and in the trying the
world will know."

Lucy sprang from her seat and stood over her sister:

"I'll deny it!" she cried in a shrill voice; "and face him down. He
can't prove it! No one about here can!"

"He may have proofs that you couldn't deny, and that I would not if I
could. Captain Holt knows everything, remember," Jane replied in her
same calm voice.

"But nobody else does but you and Martha!" The thought gave her renewed
hope--the only ray she saw.

"True; but the captain is enough. His heart is set on Archie's name
being cleared, and nothing that I can do or say will turn him from his
purpose. Do you know what he means to do?"

"No," she replied faintly, more terror than curiosity in her voice.

"He means that you shall marry Barton, and that Archie shall be
baptized as Archibald Holt. Barto