ve had occasion to look closely, I find it's a
forgery."

"Please!" Sally faltered.

"I tell you, I have safe in my possession a letter recommending you to
me and signed with the forged signature of Mrs. Cornwallis English. If
necessary to protect myself, I shall not scruple to exhibit that
letter."

"Oh!" With a gasp of incredulity Sally sat down and stared at this
impudent intrigante.

"Now will you tell me what you've written? No. I won't trust you to
tell me. Give me that envelope. I'll see for myself."

"It isn't possible," Sally said, "that you would do anything so cruel
and unjust and dishonest?"

"Dishonest? I dare say you consider yourself a judge."

"I can't believe it of you, Mrs. Standish."

"That's your personal affair, of course. You've asked me not to
interfere. . . ."

She permitted Sally to think it over, meantime coming closer, holding
out her hand with an effect of confident patience.

"Surely you wouldn't show that forgery you've made up to Mrs.
Gosnold?"

"I don't know what you mean by 'forgery I've made up.' I shan't
hesitate to show the forgery you brought me."

"I guessed all along," Sally told her, "that you were not what you
made yourself out to be, neither a good woman nor a kind one. But I
never for a moment imagined you would stoop to such infamy."

"Now that's settled, be good enough--"

"But what makes you so afraid I'll tell Mrs. Gosnold about last
night?"

"To protect yourself, of course. I don't believe you mean to
confess--"

"Confess!"

"Take advantage of this opportunity to restore the jewels--and get off
without punishment. Probably you can't. Probably the man you met
outside and gave them to is by now so far away that you couldn't, even
if you wanted to."

"Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. I don't want to make any
mistake."

"Sensible of you, I'm sure."

"You really mean to accuse me of this abominable thing?"

"I know no reason to believe you incapable of it. And you did meet a
man out there last night."

"Then why do you hesitate to inform Mrs. Gosnold? Isn't it your duty?"

"I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, providing you--"

"Have you consulted Mr. Lyttleton about this?"

That shot told. Mrs. Standish paused with an open mouth. "Mr.
Lyttleton!" she exclaimed, recovering, in a tone that implied complete
ignorance of the existence of any such person.

"Mr. Lyttleton," Sally repeated. "You know very well it was he to who