a sword, be it ever so slender.
And now, as she confronted Madeline, all her selfishness was alarmed.
She waited in absolute fear the next words from the lips of her enemy.

"You need not weary yourself by playing the invalid in my presence,
madame," pursued the girl. "I am quite well aware that your illness
has been all a sham. I know, too, that you have found the _role_ of
invalid very irksome."

The eyes of Cora widened still more, and all the color fled from her
lips. But she made a fierce struggle and, although she could not
summon up her usual insolence, she managed to gasp out, half
defiantly: "What do you mean?"

"You understand my meaning," replied the girl, with contempt. "I mean
that you are in my power, and that you must obey my will."

For a moment Cora's anger outweighed her fear. She came a step nearer
and said, sneeringly: "Indeed, Miss Payne! That remains to be seen!"

"True," assented Madeline, coldly. "First, then, you had better
instruct your friend, Dr. Le Guise, not to administer _hasheesh_ to
Mr. Arthur to-morrow, in order to have him properly insane when I
visit him."

Cora's knees bent under her, and all the color fled out of her face.
But she rallied her flying courage enough to say: "Explain yourself,
Miss Payne."

Madeline drew toward her Cora's easiest lounging chair, and seated
herself therein with much deliberation, saying, as she did so:

"You had better sit down, Mrs. Arthur; there is no necessity for a
display of anger, or for any more attempts at deception. The one is as
useless as the other is transparent. And I have considerable to say to
you."

Cora moved sullenly toward a chair and sank into it, feeling like a
woman in a nightmare.

"First, then, for your position," pursued Madeline. "It is sufficient
to say that I know of your scheme to dispose of Mr. Arthur and inherit
the wealth you supposed to be his."

Cora was beginning to feel a return of combativeness, and she
exclaimed quickly: "That is false!"

"I know," pursued her inquisitor, ignoring her retort, "that this man
you call 'Dr. Le Guise,' is your tool and--_I have had every drug that
has been prescribed by him analyzed by city physicians!_"

Cora saw that she was indeed undone, and began to fight with the
recklessness of despair. "I don't believe you!" she cried, reckless
that she was committing herself. "That old spy, Hagar, has fancied
these things. How could you get the medicines?"

"Not through Haga