concealed intruder was watching them between the wall and the
curtain, yet hardly daring to breathe for fear of discovery. He had the
pearls in his pocket, and as the glass door was closed he was unable to
reopen it and escape, lest he should reveal himself.

He heard Ansell's words, and understood the situation. If the lid of
the jewel-case were raised the thief would be discovered, and the alarm
given.

Those were moments of breathless peril.

"Adolphe protected me from your violence," she replied, simply. "He was
my friend, but he did not love me, because I loved you--only you!"

"And you care for me no longer?"

"The fire of my love for you burned itself out on that tragic night,"
she replied.

"How very poetic," he sneered. "Is it your habit to talk to Bracondale
like that?"

She bit her lip. Mention of Bracondale's name caused a flood of great
bitterness to overwhelm her.

"I did not expect, when you came here, that you would insult me in
addition to blackmailing me."

"Blackmail, you call it--eh?"

"What else is it?"

"A simple purchase, my girl. I have a letter, and you wish to buy it.
The transaction is surely a fair one! Besides, if you do not wish to buy
my silence, it is quite immaterial to me. I shall soon find another
purchaser in Bracondale."

"He won't believe you."

"He has only to have a search made of the marriage register. Perhaps you
don't remember the date. I do."

"And I, worse luck! Ah, how grossly you deceived me!" she exclaimed
bitterly. "I thought I married a gentleman, only, alas! to discover that
I had a notorious thief as husband."

"You expected too much. You thought you had become a lady, and were
disappointed when you found that you were not. Yes--I suppose when I
told you the truth, it must have been a bit of a jag for you. That fool,
Adolphe, wanted me to keep the truth from you. But what was the use?"

"Yes," she sighed. "You were at least frank--perhaps the only occasion
upon which you ever told me the truth."

"The truth is generally unwelcome," he laughed. "Lies are always
pleasant."

"To the liar."

"I'm afraid you'll have, in future, to lie to Bracondale."

"I shall use my own discretion," she responded. "Perhaps I shall
confess."

"And if so, what then?"

"I shall tell him that you entered here and stole my pearls."

"How very generous that would be," he laughed angrily. "And I wonder
what Bracondale would think of you if you endeavoured to send