early in the day in a state of high
nervous tension, bordering on acute fever. He had neither eaten nor
drunk, but after tidying his clothes and reassuring her as to his future
movements, he had sallied out into the woods and had not returned since
then.

Sir Marmaduke had quickly arrived at the conclusion that Richard Lambert
had seen and spoken to Lady Sue and had learned from her that she was
now irrevocably married to him, whom she always called her prince.
Doubtless, the young man was frenzied with grief, and in his weak state
of health after the terrible happenings of the past few weeks, would
mayhap, either go raving mad, or end his miserable existence over the
cliffs. Either eventuality would suit Sir Marmaduke admirably, and he
sighed with satisfaction at the thought that the knot between the
heiress and himself was indeed tied sufficiently firm now to ensure her
obedience to his will.

There was to be one more scene in the brief and cruel drama which he had
devised for the hoodwinking and final spoliation of a young and
inexperienced girl. She had earlier in the day been placed in possession
of all the negotiable part of her fortune. This, though by no means
representing the whole of her wealth, which also lay in landed estates,
was nevertheless of such magnitude that the thought of its possession
caused every fiber in Sir Marmaduke's body to thrill with the delight of
expectancy.

One more brief scene in the drama: the handing over of that vast
fortune, by the young girl-wife--blindly and obediently--to the man whom
she believed to be her husband. Once that scene enacted, the curtain
would fall on the love episode 'twixt a romantic and ignorant maid and
the most daring scoundrel that had ever committed crime to obtain a
fortune.

In anticipation of that last and magnificent _denouement_, Sir Marmaduke
had once more donned the disguise of the exiled Orleans prince: the
elaborate clothes, the thick perruque, the black silk shade over the
left eye, which gave him such a sinister expression.

Now he was literally devoured with the burning desire to see Sue
arriving with that wallet in her hand, which contained securities and
grants to the value of L500,000. A brief interlude with her, a few words
of perfunctory affection, a few assurances of good faith, and he--as her
princely husband--would vanish from her ken forever.

He meant to go abroad immediately--this very night, if possible.
Prudence and caution