o away and find Mrs. Harrington, Elsie. The
falsehood and the treachery are not yours--thank God! at least my own
blood has not turned traitor to me!"

Elizabeth sank slowly in a chair; Elsie stole one frightened look
towards her, then the woman in her confusion and dizziness saw her float
out of the room, and she was alone with her husband. He held the
bracelet up before her eyes, his hand shaking so that the jewels flashed
balefully in the light.

"Your plan was carried out too late; you should have had it found
before!" he said, and his last effort at self-control was swept away.

She must speak--must try to stem the tide, and keep back a little longer
the exposure and ruin which for days back some mysterious warning had
told her was surely approaching.

"I don't know what you mean," she faltered.

"I mean that the bracelet was found where you put it!" interrupted
Mellen.

"Why should I have hidden it? What reason--"

"Stop!" he broke in. "Not another word--not a single falsehood more! You
brought this bracelet back with you from the city--don't speak--I went
to the pawnbroker's--it had just been taken away."

In the whirl of that unhappy woman's senses the words seemed to come
from afar off; the lights were dancing before her eyes; the flashing
gems blinded her with their rays, but she still controlled herself. She
must make one last effort--she must discover how much of the truth he
knew--there might be some loophole for escape--some effort by which she
could avert a little longer the coming earthquake.

"Why don't you speak?" he cried. "Say anything--another lie if you
will--anything rather than this black truth! That man; you know him!
Speak, I say!"

"What man?" she faltered.

"That traitor--that wretch! He had the bracelet; he got it from you!
Explain, I say--woman, I will have an explanation."

"I never gave the bracelet away," she said, desperately. "I have no
explanation to make. I will not open my lips while you stand over me in
that threatening way."

"Will you defy me to the last?" he exclaimed.

"You can only kill me," she moaned; "do it and let me have peace!"

He flung the bracelet down upon the table.

"I have loved you, and I know that you are false!"

"What do you suspect?" she demanded. "What do you know?"

The momentary weakness of passion passed; the husband stood up again
cold and stern.

"I know," he said, "that this bracelet was in the hands of a bad, wicked
man; only