uestions."

[Illustration: "Olive knows nothing of Edward Percy, and--I don't want
to tell her just yet."--page 121.]

"Ask, then."

"I shall touch upon a painful subject, and I will tell you why. After
you went away, the story of your sorrow remained with me. So I thought
the ground all over, and formed some conclusions. Do you wish to hear
them?"

Olive nodded, wearily.

"You have told me," said Madeline, assuming a calm, business-like
tone, "that Lucian Davlin testified against your husband at his trial.
Now the wounded man, Percy, stated that he recognized the man who
struck him?"

"Yes."

"Well, what was Davlin's testimony?"

"That he saw my husband stealing in the direction of the place where
the wounded man was found, but a few moments before he was struck,
wearing the same hat and hunting-jacket that the injured man testified
was worn by his would-be assassin."

"Oh!" Madeline knitted her brows in thought a moment; then--"Was the
coat and hat Mr. Girard's?"

"Yes; he had thrown them off in the afternoon, while the heat was
intense, and had fallen asleep. When he awoke, he heard them calling
him to supper. It was late in the evening when he remembered his coat
and hat, and went back to look for them. He went just at the time when
the man must have been struck, and his absence told against him in the
evidence."

"Did he find his garments?"

"No; they were found by others, not where he had left them, but nearer
the scene of the crime."

"Ah! And who was the first to discover the injured man?"

"Why, I believe it was Mr. Davlin." Olive looked more and more
surprised at each question. "Why do you ask these things, Madeline?"

The girl made a gesture of impatience. "Wait," she said, "I will
explain in good time." Again she considered. "Was there any
ill-feeling between your husband and Davlin?"

"There was no open misunderstanding, but I know there was mutual
dislike. Philip saw that Davlin was making systematic efforts to win
money from the party, and had therefore persuaded one or two of his
friends to give gaming little countenance. No doubt he kept money out
of the man's pocket."

"And what was the standing of that man and the victim, this Percy?"

"They were much together, and Philip tells me he had sometimes fancied
that Davlin held some power over Percy. Davlin had won largely from
him, and the man seemed much annoyed, but paid over the money without
demur."

"And now, how did your h