“No matter—I do know it. What reason did he give for wanting you to impersonate his wife?”
The woman buried her face in her hands and Williams let her cry it out.
Here was a nice ending to all his plans for Miss Thornton! If Forbes’ connection with this case was known what a splendid newspaper story his courtship of the young society girl would make! All the horrors of publicity would be crowded upon her with crushing force. She might bear humiliation in the sight of her friends, but not before the gaze of the world. If anything was to be done to strangle that journalistic tid-bit it must be done then and there.
“Why did he want you to impersonate his wife?” repeated Williams.
The woman looked at him through her tears.
“He said he had to have the money and—if I did it—he’d have plenty. He said—he said there was no harm—that I was—I was—that I had a right to say I was Mrs. Forbes, and he’d marry me afterwards. But he’ll never do it now!” she sobbed, “he’ll never do it now!”
“I think he will.”
Miss Halpin stopped weeping and stared eagerly at Williams.
“O if I thought that!” she began. “I’d do anything—anything!”
“Listen then. Does Winter or Stein know of Forbes in this matter?”