Part 45 (2/2)
”I have known Isabel Haven all her life,” the woman replied, without appearing in the least disconcerted by the gentleman's scrutiny.
”Can that be possible?” exclaimed her companion, but losing some of his color at the information.
”Yes.”
”Then I presume you are familiar with her history.”
”I am; with every item of it, from her cradle to the present hour.”
”And were you aware of her presence in Boston when you applied for your position at Wyoming?”
”I was.”
”Perchance it was at her instigation that you sought the place,” Mr.
G.o.ddard remarked, a sudden suspicion making him feel sick at heart.
”Mrs. Stewart certainly knew that I was to have charge of your house,”
calmly responded Mrs. Weld.
”Then there was a plot between you--you had some deep-laid scheme in seeking the situation.”
”I do not deny the charge, sir.”
”What! do you boldly affirm it? What was your object?” demanded the man, in a towering rage, but growing deathly white at the explanation that suggested itself to his mind.
”I perceive that you have your suspicions, Mr. G.o.ddard,” coolly remarked the woman, without losing an atom of her self-possession in view of his anger.
”I have. Great Heavens! I understand it all now,” cried her companion, hoa.r.s.ely. ”It was you who stole that certificate from my wife's room!”
”Yes, sir; I was fortunate enough to find it, two days previous to the ball.”
”You confess it!--you dare own it to me, madam! You are worse than a professional thief, and I will have you arrested for your crime!” and Gerald G.o.ddard was almost beside himself with pa.s.sion at her cool effrontery.
”I hardly think you will, Mr. G.o.ddard,” was the quiet response. ”I imagine that you would hesitate to bring such a charge against me, since such a course would necessitate explanations that might be to you somewhat distasteful, if not mortifying. You would hardly like to reveal the character of the doc.u.ment, which, however, you have made a mistake in a.s.serting that I stole--”
”But you have admitted the charge,” he excitedly interposed.
”I beg your pardon, I have not acknowledged the crime of theft--I simply stated that I was fortunate enough to find the doc.u.ment in question.”
”It seems to me that that is a distinction without a difference,” he sneered.
”One can hardly be accused of stealing what rightly belongs to one's self,” Mrs. Weld composedly said.
”What--what on earth can you mean? Explain yourself.”
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