Part 23 (2/2)
”I am feeling quite well, Anna,” he responded, in a mechanical tone.
”What is it you wish to say to me?”
Sweeping into the room, she closed the door after her, then confronted him with accusing mien.
”What do I wish to say to you?” she repeated, her voice quivering with pa.s.sion, her eyes blazing with a fierce expression. ”I want that paper which you have stolen from me.”
”I--I do not understand you, Anna,” the man began, in a pre-occupied manner. ”What paper--what--”
”I will bear no trifling,” she pa.s.sionately cried, interrupting him.
”You know very well what paper I refer to--I never had but one doc.u.ment in my possession in which you had any interest; the one you have so beset me about during the last few weeks.”
”That?” exclaimed the man, at last aroused from the apathy which had hitherto seemed to possess him.
”That!” retorted his companion, mockingly imitating his tone, ”as if you did not very well know it was 'that,' and no other. Gerald G.o.ddard, I have come to demand it of you,” she went on shrilly. ”You have no right to enter my rooms, like a thief, and steal my treasures!
I--”
”Anna, be still!” commanded her husband, sternly. ”You are losing control of yourself, and some of our guests may overhear you. I know nothing of the doc.u.ment.”
”You lie!” hissed the woman, almost beside herself with mingled rage and fear. ”Who, but you, could have any interest in the thing? who, save you, even knew of its existence, or that it had ever been in my possession? Give it back to me! I will have it! It's my only safeguard. You knew it, and you have stolen it, to make yourself independent of me.”
”Anna, you shall not demean either yourself or me by giving expression to such unjust suspicions,” Gerald G.o.ddard returned with cold dignity.
”I swear to you that I do not know anything about the paper. I have not even once laid my eyes upon it since you stole it from me. If it has been taken from the place where you have kept it concealed,” he went on, ”then other hands than mine have been guilty of the theft.”
There was the ring of truth in his words, and she was forced to believe him; yet there was a mystery about the affair which was beyond her fathoming.
”Then who could have taken it,” she gasped, growing ghastly white at the thought of there being a third party to their secret--”who on earth has done this thing?”
Gerald G.o.ddard was silent. He had his suspicions, suspicions that made him quake inwardly, as he thought of what might be the outcome of them if they should prove to be true.
”Gerald, why do you not answer me?” his companion impatiently demanded. ”Can you think of any one who would be likely to rob us in this way?”
”Have you no suspicion, Anna?” the man asked, and looking gravely into her eyes. ”Was there no one among your guests to-night, who--”
”Who--what--!” she cried, as he faltered and stopped.
”Was there no one present who made you think of--of some one whom you--have known in the--the past?”
”Ha! do you refer to Mrs. Stewart?” said madam. ”Did you also notice the--resemblance?”
”Could any one help it?--could any one ever mistake those eyes?
Anna--she was Isabel herself!”
”No--no!” she panted wildly, ”she may be some relative. Are you losing your mind? Isabel is--dead.”
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