"Where did you meet her?" I asked, ignoring his last remark, which was but idle.
"In town, over a year ago," he replied, calming down. "She is, as you know, very beautiful, and her mother wished her to make a great match. I am comfortably off, but have not a title, therefore Mrs. Bellin would not sanction the engagement. Then I had to go out to South America on business connected with my property. Before I left she promised to become my wife, and swore that nothing should part us or render her false to me. See, here is the ring she gave me," he added, stretching out his hand, "this pearl ring. I was to be back in six months, and our engagement was to be made public. I am back in six months, and the first news I hear is that she is to marry Felix."
"Did she write and tell you so?"
"No, but Felix did, and asked me to meet him here before seeing her."
"Now, I wonder if this apparent treachery of Miss Bellin has anything to do with your twinship."
"What do you mean?" asked Briarfield, starting up.
"You are so like in appearance," said I, "that no one could tell you apart. You have lived constantly together save for the last six months, and know every action of each other's lives. It may be that Felix has passed himself off to Miss Bellin as you."
"Impossible! She would detect the deception."
"I doubt it, save by intuition. I assure you, Briarfield, that the resemblance between you is most perplexing. There is not the slightest difference. You dress the same, you have the same features, you almost think the same. It is scarce possible to tell which is which when apart. I thought to-night that you were Felix."
"It cannot be, it cannot be," he muttered feverishly; "her own heart would tell her the truth."