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At the first sight of that face, the first sound of that voice, he had felt as if turning to stone, incapable of movement or speech. At that moment, had Cora once glanced toward him, his face must have betrayed his secret. But her eyes were fixed on Madeline. Davlin felt a tempest raging within his bosom. Madeline alive! This glowing, brilliant, richly robed, queenly creature Madeline!
At any rate, certain it is that Miss Arthur's maid manifested no desire to be seen by the inmates of the household, and she had been domiciled for some weeks without having vouchsafed to either John Arthur or Lucian Davlin more than a fleeting glimpse of her maidship. Things were becoming very monotonous to some of the occupants of the Oakley manor; very, very dull and flavorless.
"Wait," pursued Madeline; "now, don't you see, supposing all the rest true, that if Lucian Davlin attempted the life of this man, with the view of getting his money, and if he failed in some manner unknown, don't you see that, holding over Percy's head the fear of the law, and the proofs of his having committed bigamy, he might thus silence him?
"You plotted to become John Arthur's wife?" pursues Madeline, relentlessly. "Yes." "And his widow?" No reply. "You planned to keep him a prisoner?" "Yes." "And Lucian Davlin, your pretended brother, was your accomplice?" "Yes." Madeline turns swiftly toward her step-father, as she does so moving nearer toward Edward Percy. "John Arthur, are you satisfied?" she asks, sternly.
His eyes held her as in a spell, and when, after a moment, the hand fell from her shoulder and his eyes withdrew their mesmeric gaze, the woman shrunk from under the one detaining hand and turned sullenly away, looking like a baffled leopardess. Davlin resumed his seat and his former careless attitude. Cora walked to the window and looked down upon the scene below.
When the summons came, at last, she went quietly down to greet the man who little dreamed that his reign in her heart was at an end, and that his hold upon her life was loosening fast. When Madeline entered the presence of Lucian Davlin, she took the initiatory step in the part she was henceforth to play. And she took it unhesitatingly, as if dissimulation was to her no new thing.
Meantime, Clarence Vaughan, punctual to the time appointed, had driven rapidly to the spot designated by Madeline. He was about to alight from the carriage, when he drew back suddenly, and sat in the shadow as a man passed up the street. It was Lucian Davlin, and he entered the building bearing the number Madeline had given in her note. Instantly Vaughan comprehended the situation.
Explain how you came to Bellair." "How?" "Yes, for what purpose. And at whose instigation." Cora hesitated, and Davlin moved uneasily. "Don't think that you will damage your cause by making a full statement," suggested Miss Payne, meaningly. "Answer my questions, please." Again Cora glances at Davlin.
Davlin, what an artful creature! I was sure she was not quite to be trusted. But who would have supposed that she would dare " gushed Miss Arthur. "Oh, she is no doubt a professional; belongs to some city 'swell mob, begging your pardon. But I shall run up to the city to-night, I think, and try and see if the detectives can't unearth her."
Davlin knew this, too; must have known it, for he was aware that the two had met before they came together with the party." "I can not see why Lucian Davlin should be your husband's enemy." "I can understand that he hated Philip for the same reason that a thief hates the light, and Philip had balked his plans." "True; and yet " "And yet?" inquiringly.
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