“But, Violet, you forget the fortune was bestowed upon your mother by Harold Arleigh in the shape of a deed of gift. You are her legal heir, and, at all events, the will which she left—oh, you know nothing of it, I see!—leaves you sole heir. It is a comfortable fortune, and that fortune I mean to have. But I must first make you my wife; so, Violet, my dear, you had better listen to reason, for you can not escape me again.”
CHAPTER XXVI.
A DARK SUSPICION.
All was confusion at Yorke Towers. Betty was soon restored to consciousness, only to tell a wild and incoherent tale which astonished her listeners.
She had been standing at the bedside of her mistress—Miss Arleigh was present also—and Betty was about to administer Mrs. Yorke’s sleeping-draught at her request, when all at once a man rushed into the room. At the same instant the lights were extinguished, and Mrs. Yorke uttered a piercing shriek, for she was fearfully alarmed.
After that there was the sound of retreating footsteps in the darkness, and then Betty had lost consciousness and knew no more.
Leonard Yorke listened to the old woman’s absurd story with a pale, stern face and dark, wrathful eyes. Jessie and Mrs. Rutledge had begun to resuscitate Mrs. Yorke, while Hilda flew to summon the servants and send for a physician.
All was excitement and confusion in the house, and a pale, terrified group gathered around Mrs. Yorke’s bedside.
In the midst of it all Leonard stole away and went out into the open air for a time, to collect his thoughts and try and arrange some plan of action.