"Pardon me if I say there must be another motive."
"You are pardoned," coolly; "now, do you grant my request?"
Percy arose from the table flushed and angry. "Pardon me, Miss Payne, you demand too much."
"Nevertheless, I do demand it."
"And I beg to decline."
"Then I must deal with Miss Arthur. The knowledge that you have one wife in the grave, and another under this very roof, may have the desired effect upon her."
Percy dropped back in his chair, pale as ashes. All was lost, then. Cora had betrayed him! But he resolved not to commit himself. Perhaps Madeline had only verbal information. While he was trying to frame a speech, however, she knocked this last prop from under him.
"I may as well assure you that parleying is useless. I have known, from the first moment you entered this house, just upon what terms you stood with Mrs. Arthur. Don't trouble yourself to ask how I know. Perhaps you have been puzzled to know why Mrs. Arthur and her brother so suddenly became cordial and invited you to Oakley, where you so much desired to be. Let me enlighten you. They fancied that you had regained possession of important documents—two marriage certificates, in fact—for they had lost them."
"What?" ejaculated Percy.
"And—I found them," added Madeline.