things they were--into your wife's room. Then
I sent Elsie home to tell her own story.

"The girl was mad, crazy as a March hare, went into hysterics, made an
insane effort to kill herself, took poison and heaven knows what else in
the presence of your wife. I knew she would, and set her loose for that
purpose. These tragedies were kept up till your wife, thinking your soul
bound up in the girl, and herself nothing in comparison, made a solemn
promise never to betray Elsie's secret, and to shield her from all harm
with her own life if needful. I heard this and knew that my money was
safe.

"Your wife came to me, for I was not permitted to enter the house after
she found me out. There was a woman! I swear the only creature of the
sex that I ever respected. She was firm but grand in her generosity,
ready to sacrifice everything so long as it took Elsie out of my power.
I gave up more of the letters, reserving these three for use, unknown to
her. She raised all the money in her power at the time, but I kept the
certificate, resolved not to sell that without demanding the last cent
she possessed.

"In telling my grand secret, I had been cautious to keep all possibility
of proof to myself. They knew that my first wife, your old lady love,
was living, but had no means of proving the fact, or even that I had
ever been married at all, otherwise my position might have been
dangerous; as it was, those two women were like flies in a spider's web.

"Our child, your nephew, was born, and died, fortunately for us all.
They were obliged to trust me a little then. Your wife summoned me to
the house, for she was afraid to claim help from any other human
being--I went, and with my own hands buried it under a cypress tree in
your grounds. That heroic woman stood by and watched. She would not
trust me out of her sight, fearing that I might attempt to see Elsie,
whom she guarded like a mother bird when hawks are near. Noble soul. It
was all useless; I had no wish to see that faithless little imp, and as
for her, I dare say she was glad to get rid of me even at the bitter
cost she was paying. In fact I know she was, after that other noble
creature took up her burden.

"Well, after this I got a little money from your wife now and then,
under threats of claiming my wife, which always brought her to
terms--remember I had told her she was not my legal wife, but held
proofs that she was--I could claim or reject her as I pleased.

"But one