"Because I am so amazed that your pride did not come to your aid when you knew the use to which he intended to put your money. To him you were not the woman he loved--but the banker upon whom he intended to draw."
"And yet I married him," she said, with a cold smile. "Women are strange creatures, I confess. Yet you always considered me proud. See how mistaken you were! I had more weakness than you thought me capable of possessing. I was wildly--madly in love with him. At all events, I intended to marry him, and what is more, I intended to get back that incriminating bill from Jenner without the expenditure of a penny. I saw that he had replaced it in his red pocket-book; well, I made up my mind that I would get that pocket-book."
"Yet you never guessed the man was Jenner!" remarked her brother, ironically.
"I was suspicious, but not certain. However, I did not go after Jenner at once, for I knew where to find him. I wanted Frank to be out of the way before I left my hiding-place--I was behind a hedge--and not alone."
"What do you mean by that?" asked Mr. Cass, startled.
"I mean what I say. Several times, while I was crouching in the wet grass, I heard the breathing of someone no great distance off. Well, I found that other person."
"When--some time afterwards?"
"On the contrary, the person threw himself in my way within half-an-hour after I was on my way to the Turnpike House."
"Wait a moment!" cried Mr. Cass, with suppressed excitement. "I know who it was--the gypsy, Job."
"Ah!" replied Mrs. Marshall, without betraying much surprise. "Ruth told you something!"