en warned!" demanded her guest, still clutching her
arm with painful force, "would you have dared refuse to do their
bidding?"

"Would I have dared refuse?" exclaimed Edith, drawing herself
haughtily erect. "No power on earth could have made me marry that
man."

"I don't know! I don't know! He is rich, handsome, talented," muttered
the other, regarding her suspiciously. "Will you swear that it was
fraud--that you did not know you were being married to him? Do not
try to lie to me," she went on, warningly. "I came here this afternoon
with a heart full of bitter hatred toward you; in my soul I believe I
was almost a murderess. But--if you also are the victim of a bad man's
perfidy, then we have a common cause."

"I have told you only the truth," responded Edith, gravely. "Monsieur
Correlli was utterly repulsive to me, and I never could have consented
to marry him, under any circumstances. I know he is considered
handsome--I know he is rich and talented; but all that would be no
temptation to me--I could never sell myself for fortune or position. I
am very sorry if you have been made unhappy because of me," she went
on gently; "but I have not willfully wronged you in any way. And if
you have come here to tell me that you are Monsieur Correlli's wife,
you have saved me from a fate I abhorred--and I shall be--I am free!
and I shall bless you as long as I live!"

CHAPTER XXII.

"I WILL RISE ABOVE MY SIN AND SHAME!"

Edith's strange visitor stood contemplating her with a look of mingled
perplexity and sadness.

It was evident that she could not understand how any one could be glad
to renounce a man like Emil Correlli, with the fortune and position
which he could give the woman of his choice.

The two made a striking tableau as they stood there facing each other,
with that beautiful child between them; for in style and coloring,
they were exactly the opposite of each other.

Edith, so fair and slight, with her delicate features and golden hair,
her great innocent blue eyes, graceful bearing, and cultivated manner,
which plainly betrayed that she had been reared in an atmosphere of
gentleness and refinement.

The other was of a far different type, yet, perhaps, not less striking
and beautiful in her way.

She was of medium height, with a full, voluptuous form, a complexion
of pale olive, with brilliantly scarlet lips, and eyes like "black
diamonds," and hair that had almost a purple tinge in its ebon masse