“It was in London, six weeks ago, that the awful revelations occurred,” she went on after a minute. “Archie and I were walking together on the Strand one day when all of a sudden he gripped my arm and the next moment he dropped—he had fainted like a woman. I had only time to see that a young ‘bleached blonde’ was passing us; after that, for an hour, I was busy with my brother. Well, to make this story short, Archie told me everything. He had to, you see, for the blonde woman was his wife—he recognized her instantly—she was living!”
“How horrible!” cried Miss Allyn, as Miss Ray stopped speaking. She had thought just then of what Dr. Brookes had said and was beginning to put “two and two” together.
“Oh, and I thought he loved Marion!” burst out Dollie impetuously. “I was as sure as anything that she would marry him some time.”
“That is the hardest part of it! He does love her,” sighed Miss Ray, “but I was obliged to tell her his miserable secret, and it is that which has brought her into this awful trouble.”
Miss Allyn said nothing, but Dollie cried out in astonishment.
“She has a picture of Archie’s wife that I gave her,” explained Miss Ray, “and she promised to watch for and to try and save her. You see, Mary, Archie’s wife has gone to the bad altogether, and of course we feel pretty sure that she will drift to Blackwell’s Island, and in case that happens we thought Marion would see her, and oh, to think that the woman should have tricked us. For it was she, my brother’s shameless wife, that Marion tried to rescue to-day, and now to think that the dear girl is in her power and she knows, that drunken creature, that Archie is in love with her.”
This time even Miss Allyn gave her a questioning glance, then suddenly Miss Ray blushed scarlet as she turned her face from her companions.
“Forgive me, please, for wounding you,” she said, very softly, “but, Mary, that dreadful woman is in the constant companionship of a man who has met Marion here, as your friend, Miss Allyn. He goes by the name of George Harris Colebrooke.”
With a little groan Miss Allyn rose from her chair.
“The black-hearted scoundrel!” she muttered, savagely. “And he hates her, Miss Ray; because she was loyal to me George Colebrooke hates her.”