Captain Ernscliffe flashed a triumphant look upon his brother-in-law.
"You see she knows all about us," he said. "Now you cannot but admit her identity. You must believe that she is my wife!"
Lord Valentine grew white and red by turns as he gazed upon the beautiful, queenly woman.
"I admit madam's wonderful beauty, her grace and her talent," he said, slowly, "and I will not deny her astonishing resemblance to your lost bride; but, Ernscliffe, I will not believe this trumped-up story of poor Queenie's resurrection. You are the victim of a monstrous fraud!"
Captain Ernscliffe's eyes blazed with anger.
"You deny that this is my wife?" he exclaimed, passionately.
Lord Valentine was silent a moment. After that brief pause for thought he answered, firmly:
"Yes, I utterly deny it. I will not believe in so stupendous a fraud as this one which is being perpetrated upon you. Madame De Lisle is a beautiful woman, and a great actress; but she is not the wife you buried years ago in Rose Hill Cemetery."
Queenie lifted her head and looked at him proudly, but she did not speak one word in her own defense. She did not need to do so. She had an eloquent defender by her side.
"Since you think thus," said Captain Ernscliffe, repressing his anger and excitement by a powerful effort of his will, "pray go to your wife and break the news of Sydney's tragic death to her and her mother. You may tell them also all that I have told you, and we will see if they will decide as you have done."