"Good land! my child, what had you done to turn Vince against you?"
"Nothing, dear uncle! but I believe that cunning arts were employed by some other people to turn my father's heart against his child," answered Kathleen, spiritedly.
"Mamma, will you permit Kathleen to belittle us in our very presence, and in our own house?" exclaimed Alpine, angrily.
Kathleen looked at her step-sister, who stood at the back of the chair into which she had assisted the pale and trembling Ivan.
"I have no desire to remain in your house a moment longer than is necessary," she said, proudly. "I am going at once, and I will take my uncle with me as a guest in my friend's house. But before I go, Mrs. Carew, please give me my diamond necklace."
"There is some mistake. I know nothing about your diamonds. I did not take them from the jewellers," answered Mrs. Carew, angrily; but there was such a ring of truth in her voice that Kathleen believed her for once.
She turned to Alpine.
"Perhaps you have the diamonds?" she said, interrogatively.
"I have not. I thought you took them with you when you went away, and that they were stolen from you when you were robbed that night," answered Alpine, earnestly.
"I believe you," said Kathleen, and her burning glance fell on Ivan Belmont as he cowered before her in his seat.