Then both boy and woman looked at the desecrated chest—and all was told.
Even while she was wildly pushing facts from her, Joyce saw, rising before her, a completed structure of John Gaston's past.
That exquisite girl was she who had held his love before—and she had married the brother! Then Gaston's name was Dale. Oh! how vividly, hideously clear it was. It seemed as if she had always known it. Even the pictured face was as familiar now as Gaston's own. But Joyce's cold lips were forming the words:
"Billy you lie! You brought that over to show me. Tell me the truth." She had him by the shoulder, and her fierce eyes frightened him.
"I have told you the truth; so help me! There she is now; look!"
Joyce turned as Billy pointed to the window.
Outside, near the grave of her baby, stood Constance Drew and the girl whose picture Billy held limply in his hand.
Constance Drew was talking, but the stranger's sweet face was turned toward the house, and Joyce saw that her eyes were full of tears.
"Billy"; Joyce clutched the thin shoulder; "put that back! Now lock the chest, and listen. If you ever tell a living soul what you have done—Mr. Gaston will—kill you!"
Billy obeyed with dumb fear.