have been
watched in my interest. Not long after they left you a few days ago, the
result of their visit was made known to me. To anticipate the
disagreeable consequences of serving the papers on me, I have not
waited. I appeal to you not only as the lawyer of Mrs. Endicott, but
also as one much to blame for the new persecution which is about to fall
upon me."

"I recognize the touch," said Livingstone, unable to resist a smile.
"Mr. Dillon must be audacious or nothing."

"I am quite serious," Arthur replied. "You know part of the story, what
Mrs. Endicott chose to tell you, but I can enlighten you still more. I
appeal to you, as the lady's lawyer, to hinder her from doing mischief;
and again I appeal to you as one to blame in part for the threatened
annoyances. But for the lady who accompanied Mrs. Endicott, I would not
be suspected of relationship with your honored family. But for the
discipline which I helped to procure for that lady, she would have left
me in peace. But for your encouragement of the lady, I would not have
been forced to subject a woman to discipline. You may remember the
effective Sister Claire?"

So true was the surprise that Livingstone blushed with sudden violence.

"That woman was the so-called escaped nun?" he exclaimed.

"Now Mrs. Curran, wife of the detective employed by Mrs. Endicott for
five years to discover her lost husband. She satisfies her noblest
aspirations by dancing in the theaters, ... and a very fine dancer she
is. Her leisure is devoted to plotting vengeance on me. She pretends to
believe that I am Horace Endicott; perhaps she does believe it. Anyway
she knows that persecution will result, and she has persuaded Mrs.
Endicott to inaugurate it. I do not know if you were her selection to
manage the case."

This time Livingstone did not blush, being prepared for any turn of mood
and speech from this singular young man.

"As the matter was described to me," he said, "only a sentimental reason
included you in the divorce proceedings. I can understand Mrs. Curran's
feelings, and to what they would urge a woman of that character. Still,
her statements here were very plausible."

"Undoubtedly. She made her career up to this moment on the plausible.
Let me tell you, if it is not too tedious, how she has pursued this
theory in the face of all good sense."

The lawyer bowed his permission.

"I am of opinion that the creature is half mad, or subject to fits of
insanity. Her hus