Part 51 (2/2)
”Then I shall, of course, find you here.”
”Yes, but there is something that I could tell you now if I thought you would pay me for it.”
”I will, if it is worth anything.”
”It is about your wife.”
”What of her?”
”I can tell you something that would make you curse her. You don't know her.”
”What do you know of her?”
”I know her well.”
”You do?”
”I know her, too,” said Crisp.
”You would be surprised to know that I know more of her past life than you do,” said Meg.
”Yes, and you would be surprised to know that she was a devil,” said Crisp, fiercely.
”Take care,” said Scott, ”you must be more careful in your speech.”
”Do you know who Irene Mapleton was before you married her?”
”I know nothing of her past life.”
”I know things that you would like to know.”
Scott was really in possession of more facts than Meg supposed, but he had no idea of allowing her to know it. He had an object in gaining all the information he could from her, but he was very careful to withhold the knowledge which he possessed. It was quite evident that Meg had not heard of Irene's death, and Scott resolved to keep the knowledge from her until he had heard her story.
”Tell me what you know of her,” he said.
”I knew her years ago.”
”How could you know her?”
”That's the mystery.”
”But you claim to be a gypsy.”
”So I am, but I knew Irene Mapleton years ago. You can't guess, if you are the smartest lawyer in all the land, where I found her. Oh, you thought you was marrying a lady, but you was only getting a--devil.”
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