t thus implied, reviving her worst fears, sent a cold
shock to her heart.

But she was outwardly brave.

"How dare you!" she cried with indignant defiance in her tone. "Have
you only brought me here to insult me? I appeal to your lordship. Is
this the treatment I am to expect? I, your cousin's widow--"

"One moment, madam," interposed the lawyer. "To be a widow it is first
necessary to have been a wife."

"Do you presume to say I was not General Wilders's wife?" she asked
hotly.

"Not his lawful wife. Stay, madam," he said, seeing Mrs. Wilders half
rise from her chair. "You must hear me out. We have evidence, the
clearest seemingly; disprove it if you can."

"What evidence?"

"The certificate of your other marriage. It is here."

"How came you by it?" she inquired eagerly.

"No matter, it is all in proper form; you could not contest it,
understand."

"Well? I never pretended when I gave my hand to Colonel Wilders that I
had not been married before. He was well aware of it."

"But not that your first husband was alive at the time."

"It is false! He was dead--drowned; he drowned himself in the Seine."

"Your first husband is alive still, and you know it. You have seen him
yourself within these last few days. He is ready to come forward at
any time. It is he in fact who has furnished us with these proofs."

"I shall protest, dispute, contest this to the uttermost. It is a
base, discreditable plot against a weak, helpless, defenceless woman,"
said Mrs. Wilders with effrontery; but despair was in her heart.

How Ledantec has deceived her!

"Is that all you have to say to me?" she went on at length after
another pause. "You, Lord Essendine--my husband's relative and friend,
one of the richest and proudest men in this purse-proud land--how
chivalrous, how brave of you, to bring me here to load me with vile
aspersions, to rob me of my character; my child, my little friendless
orphan boy, of the inheritance which is his by right of birth!"

"Do not let us get into recriminations, madam," said Lord Essendine,
speaking for the first time. "It is to speak of your boy, mainly, that
I wished for this interview."

"Poor child!"

"Whatever blot may stain his birth, I cannot forget that he has
Wilders's blood in his veins. He is Cousin Bill's son still."

"You admit so much? Many thanks," she sneered. "And since these heavy
blows have struck us, blow after blow, he is the sole survivor of the
house. I am willi