"I!" he echoed in apparent surprise, "how should I know?"
"It may be that, although you have never seen him, you do not like him," she went on feverishly, not paying any attention to his answer. "You did me the honour to ask me to be your wife—I declined as I loved Adrian Lancaster—perhaps you hate him on that account—I don't believe in your spells and juggling tricks, still—still—tell me," she demanded, with a sudden outburst of anger, "do you know anything about the disappearance of Adrian Lancaster?"
He made a gesture of dissent, for although he was burning to reveal himself, yet the dread of future consequences kept him silent.
"Is it true that you can disintegrate your bodies? I have heard that you profess to do so, if so have you disintegrated Adrian?—oh, what am I talking about? it is madness, insanity, this playing with the supernatural—I do not believe in the powers you say you possess—Adrian is in hiding, afraid of the consequences of his folly—when he sees my advertisement, he will return—I'm sure he will."
"I'm afraid not," said Adrian sadly, knowing how impossible it was such a thing could happen.
"What do you know about it?" she cried fiercely, wheeling round on him with a look of suspicion in her eyes, "he could not have come to you for concealment—he did not know you—such things cannot occur in real life."
Adrian took a sudden resolution, and rising to his feet, advanced towards her and seized her by the wrist.
"Listen to me, Miss Maunders," he said gravely, "there is more in this occult science than you dream of, the age of miracles is not past, they are happening every day—your lover thought he had committed a crime and disappeared—he vanished into the night and the darkness hides him—you want to know where he is—I cannot tell you—he has no doubt been punished as you suggest—how, it is impossible to explain—but I will go to work and perchance may restore Adrian Lancaster to your arms."
"And your reward for this?" she asked disbelievingly.
"Your love," he said softly, forgetting for the moment who he was.