ith her eyes bent upon
the fire, her countenance was wholly inscrutable to him. There was a
moment's silence before he continued.

"How far the explanation is necessary," he said, "I do not know. I am
aware that you received a sealed letter, through Cortlin, from a man
named Fitzwilliam Clarke, who is now dead. What that letter contained
is your own affair. I also received a letter from the same source and
by the same hand. It is of the revelation contained in that letter
that I am come to speak to you."

Bettina hardly knew whether she was waking or sleeping. The
astounding suddenness of the consciousness which had come to her now
seemed to stun both her body and her mind. She made no sign, however,
as she sat absolutely still, and her companion went on.

"The letter to you was delivered, you remember, before my return to
England. The interval which elapsed before the delivery of the letter
to me--which occurred scarcely more than a week ago--was due to the
fact that Cortlin had been instructed to put each of these letters
into the hands of none but the man and woman to whom they were
addressed. In the second instance he was prevented by illness from
the prompt performance of his duty. He has had a long and serious
attack of fever. As soon as his condition of health permitted he sent
for me and put the letter into my hands, telling me that he was
ignorant as to its contents, but that a letter from the same source
had been delivered to you by him immediately after the death of the
scoundrel whose treachery had betrayed you into a marriage with him."

Bettina could not speak or look at him. The thoughts which were
seething through her brain were too confused for speech. One thing,
however, was quite clear to her. The resentment that this man so
fiercely manifested was for her sake, not his own. His anger was an
impersonal thing. He had a manly and chivalrous nature, and the mere
fact that her mother had once committed her into his keeping would
constitute a strong claim on such a nature. He was outraged that a
countryman and kinsman of his own could so villanously have duped
her. As for his own wrongs in the matter, he apparently did not
consider these. For all consciousness of them in his words and tones
they might never have existed.

While these thoughts were passing through her mind, he had risen, and
was pacing the floor with restless strides. Now he paused in front of
her and said:

"I trust it may not seem