about him turned her brain. She fell into a
kind of fit and was very ill, raving in delirium for days on end. My
wife was nursing her in the garden court rooms when you came with Burns
and begged us to let the house. My poverty tempted me to consent. For
the honour of my family I wished to hide the girl! And frankly (you ask
for frankness!), had she died despite my wife's care, I should have
tried to give the body--_private burial_. Now, you've heard the whole
unvarnished tale."

"Doubtless I've heard the tale told to that poor child," I said. "At
last I understand how you persuaded her to hide like a criminal while
you two thoroughly cooked up your plot against her. But the tale _isn't_
unvarnished! It's all varnished and nothing else. I'm not my
grandmother's grand-daughter for nothing! What _she_ didn't know and
remember about the 'noble families of England'--especially in her own
country--wasn't worth knowing! I inherit some of her stories and all of
her memory. The last Lord Scarlett, your elder brother, went to
Australia because that actress he was madly in love with had a husband
who popped up and made himself disagreeable. Oh, I can prove
_everything_ against you! And I know where the true Lady Scarlett is at
this minute. You can prove _nothing_ against me. You don't know where
your son is, and you won't know till you hand that poor child from
Australia over to Captain Burns and me. If you do that, and she recovers
from your wife's '_nursing_,' I can promise for all concerned that
bygones shall be bygones, and your boy shall be returned to you. I dare
say that's 'compounding a felony' or something. But I'll go as far as
that. What's your answer?"

The two glared into one another's eyes. I thought each said to the
other, "This was _your_ idea. It's all your fault. I _told_ you how it
would end!" But wise pots don't waste time in calling kettles black.
They saved their soot-throwing for me.

"You are indeed a true descendant of old Elizabeth Courtenaye," rasped
the man. "You're even more dangerous and unscrupulous than your
grandmother! My wife and I are innocent. But you and your American are
in a position to turn appearances against us. Besides, you have our son
in your power; and rather than the police should be called into this
affair by _either_ side, my brother's daughter--ill as she is--shall be
handed over to you when Bertie is returned to us."

"That won't do," I objected. "Bertie is at a distance. I