“I did not!” stoutly ejaculated the lying Frenchwoman. “Vreeland bribed the German doctor—that cowardly scoundrel Alberg—to have this very woman here steal the love-letter, and she secretly gave it to Alberg, and then he gave it to Vreeland. They are both liars!
“I was afraid of Vreeland. He threatened to have me discharged,” sobbed Justine. “And I know that my mistress was very near to loving him at one time. The whole truth will come out at my trial. I am innocent. I shall demand the aid of the French Consul.” Conyers and Elaine shuddered at this threat of noisy publicity.
“You met him at your rooms,” angrily broke in Conyers, who now saw Elaine’s agony. The girl had skillfully hidden her face in her hands. It was her last chance.
“He paid me well for my trouble. I am poor, so poor, and I was afraid that I might be accused of stealing the letter. He himself spirited this lying woman away. And I am to be sacrificed! The public shall be my generous jury. I will tell the story to the whole world. You dare not ruin me!”
Conyers’ eyes met his beloved one’s in an awkward silence. Then he returned once more to the attack. “There were the tell-tale wires and the criminal tapping of the telegraph and telephone.” Conyers was less harsh in his accusations now, for even Martha Wilmot was appalled by the Frenchwoman’s audacity. Justine Duprez felt firmer ground under her now. Her glib answer was ready!
“Vreeland undoubtedly paid the letter-carrier and the janitor. He was madly determined to prevent the marriage with Alynton, at any cost. He knew that the Senator disliked him, and would soon cast him out. You can call those two men before me here. I will face the whole world, and tell them how the poor young man died for a love which he had been led into. Why did my mistress pick him up? For a summer’s amusement? The fine lady’s game. She drove poor Hathorn to madness. And, she is, of course, a fine lady!”
Hugh Conyers was called from the room, leaving Elaine Willoughby trembling there, with her pale cheeks tinged with a sudden flame.
There was no defense against this flood of vulgar abuse. Her soul recoiled at the threatened publicity. The sanctity of her heart was being violated by this brutal traitress, now alert in the defense of her liberty. And there were the dangerous secrets of the Sugar ring to keep! She was now paying the price of her own rashness.
Conyers soon returned, and led his beautiful charge to the end of the room.
“Alberg has escaped!” he whispered. “He sailed from Hoboken on a Norwegian tramp steamer to-day. Daly reports that Helms and Mulholland have been eagerly racing to confess.