“Down at Philadelphia the other day I saw him put his sister, Sara, on board a State line boat for Europe, and the prettiest young woman I ever saw, a staving-looking brunette, was with the old maid artist. Hugh was mighty affectionate, too, I can tell you.”
“Liars and deceivers all,” raged Vreeland. “But I’ve got their whole game now. They have run her over to Europe. I can find her there easily.”
He went home, triumphant in his future plans, little dreaming that Mrs. Elaine Willoughby had called Justine to her bedside at Lakemere a half an hour before. “I have been robbed, and robbed here, in my own house,” the lady sternly said. “You alone know of the paper hidden in my corset. Explain at once.”
CHAPTER XII.
MINE AND COUNTERMINE.
The mistress of Lakemere was frozen into a forced calm as she keenly eyed Justine Duprez standing with open-eyed astonishment before the woman whose heart was still racked with the sharp battle with Garston. But Justine’s heart was tranquil. The nurse was far away over the seas now.
The one man living who knew the vital secret of her life had thrown off his mask in the bitter conflict of the afternoon.
“If you will not bring me into your life again, Margaret,” he cried, “I swear that I will fight my way to that child’s side, and she shall know how your cold pride is throttling a father’s honest love. It has been a hard life, the lonely one I’ve led.
“And to that child’s side, I will yet win my way.
“Remember, Alynton and his friends must listen to me. I can crush you.