Had there been a desire upon Miss Chandler's part to act in unison with her sister, they might readily have thwarted Luis Kingsley, but there was little more desire in her heart to have Leonie in possession of the papers than Kingsley.
One promised as little to her as the other.
She lifted her head, and looked defiantly at the man.
"You have expressed your determination," she said, coldly, "now listen to mine. I propose that you shall leave this house, and I intend that you shall do it without accomplishing the design that you have intended. The question is, will you do it peaceably or not?"
Kingsley looked at her in absolute amazement.
She saw that it was a desperate case, and desperate cases required heroic handling, but he was unprepared for the amount of spirit that she displayed in a woman.
There was something like admiration in the glance that he bent upon her.
"Whether I do or not you deserve credit for your bravery!" he answered, slowly. "I do admire it! Upon my soul I do! Let me tell you something, Miss Chandler! Whatever you may say to the contrary, I am fully convinced that you did not come here this night for motives of charity alone, and I am further convinced that the reason that you gave for your unpleasantness with this boy was—pardon me—not the truth. But for all that, there is something about you that appeals to me strongly. I don't want to be your enemy! I don't want to do anything that will in any way injure you, but there are reasons why I am just as much interested in the contents of this house as you can be; therefore if you will take me into your confidence and trust me, there is no reason why we should not work together and benefit each other. A woman of your standing and wealth does not interest herself in a man like Ben Mauprat for nothing. Come, now! Is this to be a sort of partnership between us, or are you determined that I shall find out all for myself, to your detriment, perhaps?"
Leonie breathlessly awaited the answer. She felt that upon it depended her chance of escape with the papers, and so of saving Lynde Pyne.
It came at last!