"Mary Dane's daughter lives not twenty miles from where we stand. Justice to the dead is beyond the power of even the wealthy Carl Walraven. Justice to the living can yet be rendered, and shall be to the uttermost farthing."
"What do you want?"
"I want you to find Mary Dane, and bring her here, educate her, dress her, treat as your own child."
"Where shall I find her?"
"At K——, twenty miles from here."
"Who is she? What is she?"
"An actress, traveling about with a strolling troupe; an actress since her sixth year—on the stage eleven years to-night. This is her seventeenth birthday, as you know."
"Is this all?"
"All at present. Are you prepared to obey, or shall I—"
"There!" interrupted Mr. Walraven, "that will do. There is no need of threats, Miriam—I am very willing to obey you in this. If I had known Mary Dane—why the deuce did you give her that name?—was on this continent, I would have hunted her up of my own accord. I would, upon my honor!"