Lord Vincent saw the effect his words had had upon her, and he was encouraged to follow up his success.
"Whom do you suspect, Claudia?" he inquired.
She answered honestly.
"My lord, I will tell you truly. I suspect you."
"Me!" he exclaimed, with a laugh of incredulity. Never were honest scorn and righteous indignation more forcibly expressed. "Me! Why, Claudia, in the name of all the insanities in Bedlam, why should you suspect me? What interest could I possibly have in getting rid of your amusing gorilla?"
"My lord, I hope that I have wronged you; but I feared that Katie had become possessed of some secret of yours which you wished to prevent her from divulging."
"And for that you thought I would have taken her life?"
"For that reason I thought you would have made away with her—by kidnaping and sending her out of the country, or by immuring her in one of the dungeons of the castle, or even by—"
"Speak out! 'Cutting her throat,' why don't you say?"
"Oh, Lord Vincent, but this is horrible, horrible!" shuddered
Claudia.