"Where is the paper?" he asked.
"What paper?" said Mrs. Verschoyle, calmly.
"What paper? Curse you!" he cried; "you know the paper I mean--the one written by your husband, whom you accuse me of killing."
"I know of no paper," she said, quietly, with a sneer; "this is a fabrication to delay justice.
"I tell you it's false," cried Vassalla, in despair; "I did not kill the man. I defy you to press this charge. When the time comes I can prove my innocence, and I decline to make any statement now."
"Prove your innocence," she said, sarcastically, "with the missing paper, I suppose?"
"Yes; and you know where it is," he said.
"Maltese dog," she shrieked, "you lie," and she would have sprung forward, only Ronald her back.
"I have to thank you for this," said Vassalla to Ronald, as he put on his hat and coat, "but, I do not forget, I will repay you; and as for you, jade that you are, I'll prove myself innocent and then punish you."
"Bah! I defy you," she said, contemptuously; "you'll never marry Carmela, but hang--hang, like the dog you are!"