"There is no need for me to conceal the facts."
"You are right."
"The girl is an heiress and does not know it."
"Tell me the facts."
"Her grandmother was a Mrs. Harold Stevens. Mrs. Stevens quarreled with her husband and they separated. The husband returned to America, Mrs. Stevens remained in Europe. Mrs. Richards made her acquaintance, and during their intimacy Mrs. Stevens revealed the fact that she had a daughter living in America, and that she had deposited fifty thousand dollars to her daughter's credit to be surrendered upon identification. She gave Mrs. Richards a picture of her child and employed her to find the heiress, and placed matters in such shape that the money could be paid over upon proof. Mrs. Richards failed in finding the heiress until Miss Amalie Speir came to live with her, and then she recognized in that girl the heiress, and determined that I should marry her, and we would secure the deposit, which now amounts to nearly a hundred thousand dollars."
"But Amalie is not the heiress."
"No, her mother is the heiress, but had she become my wife we were to furnish evidence that the mother was dead, secure the money on the girl's wonderful resemblance to the picture of her mother. The money was left in such a manner that no legal steps were necessary."
"Amalie would not marry you?"
"No; and now the game is up."
"One more question: How did you learn that I was interested in the case and start to deceive me when we first met?"