“And this is your explanation?” haughtily demanded the General.
“It is. For the girl’s sake I would willingly have concealed the circumstance; but in the present state of affairs I deemed the explanation due to yourself as well as to my lovely cousin,” replied Alexander, again turning with a bow to Anna, who again flashed back upon him a look of fiery scorn.
“But how comes this unhappy young woman here, sir?” severely inquired General Lyon.
“I beg to refer that question to the young woman herself, or to her two confederates, Miss Lyon and Mr. Hammond,” replied Alexander, making a sweeping bow that included the whole circle, and then stepping back.
“How came this hapless young creature here, Anna?” questioned the old man, turning to his grand-daughter.
“Permit me, if you please, to answer,” said Richard Hammond, coming forward.
“Dick! be silent! If you speak again till I bid you, I will never speak to you again! This is my thunder, I tell you, and you have nothing to do with it. Grandpa, order him to be still!”
“Be quiet, Richard. Proceed, Anna!”
“Then listen, sir. You must know that this poor child, living alone in the isolated country house where her husband had immured her, suspected nothing of his wicked addresses to me until the day before yesterday, when suddenly she received authentic information—no matter from whom——”
“It was from——” began Richard.