“Oh, mamma, why have you not told me this before?” Virgie at length asked, trying to control her sobs.
“Because, my darling, I could not bear to sadden your young life.”
“But I could have sympathized with you, and then I need not have pained you by asking so many distressing questions.”
“It was better for me to bear my burden alone,” her mother persisted; “of course I know it would have to be told some time, but I have put it off as long as I could. Now, however, I must soon confront the man who has so wronged us, and demand justice and restitution for you, and so it has become necessary that you should know all this sad history.”
“But, mamma, if he was married to that other woman there may be other children, and—and——”
Virgie could not go on, but broke down in distress.
“True; there are—at least I know of one; but that fact cannot affect your claim or deter me from demanding that you be recognized as the legitimate heir; for, of course, unless he made his second marriage legal, after the divorce was obtained, you alone have any lawful claim upon him,” returned Mrs. Alexander, in a resolute tone, and with a look that denoted an inflexible purpose.
“But that will be dreadful,” Virgie said, greatly troubled; “just think of the shame that such a proceeding would bring upon those who are innocent of wrong; they are not to blame for the evil that my—that their father has done, and it does not seem right that they should be made to suffer, or be deprived of their inheritance; think of their poor mother and all her hopes for her children.”
“Does it count for nothing, Virgie, that my hopes were crushed; that I was abandoned when you were a helpless little one; that I was left to depend upon myself and to provide for you?” cried her mother, sternly; though there was a note of keenest agony in her tones. “Does it count for nothing that the happiness of my whole life has been wrecked; that I was repudiated, scorned, mocked; that you have never been acknowledged by your own name, never allowed to occupy your true position in life?”
“I know it has all been wrong, cruel, wicked,” Virgie returned, sadly and with trembling lips; “but I have been very happy, with you, mamma; you have never allowed me to realize anything of this trouble; we have had everything we needed, and your fortune is ample without striving for that which you affirm should be mine; I cannot bear to think that anyone must be made to suffer just to secure a little more wealth, or a higher position in life, for me.”