"I have made a discovery of which, I think, you will thank me for telling you. And I am going to tell you because I can't spoil their plans, but you can, and I want to see them spoiled."
"Your frankness is commendable," said Madeline, ironically. "Go on!"
"Percy and the old maid are going to be privately married to-morrow morning."
"How do you know?"
Cora related the particulars of her ambush, and gave a concise report of the conversation of the lovers.
"He has gone to the village on that very business now," Cora said. "She is to walk down to the clergyman's house, and he is to meet her there. Then they will come back, and no one to be the wiser."
Madeline laughed. "Be at ease," she said. "I will try and prevent the necessity for such a disagreeable walk as that would be for so fragile a lady. We won't have a wedding just yet."
"What a cool one you are!" cried Cora. "If you were not my enemy, I could admire you vastly."
"Don't, I beg of you," said the girl, gravely. "I am sufficiently humiliated by being obliged to deal with you as an enemy."
Cora flushed angrily. "Then I should think the humiliation of being made love to by my brother, would overcome you," she sneered.