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Updated: May 3, 2025
Madeline sprang to her feet, and putting one nervous little hand upon the back of the chair she had occupied, moved back a pace, and said, in a low, set tone: "If you have come to say aught against Lucian Davlin, you will find no listener here. I am satisfied with him, and trust him fully. When I desire to know more of his 'character and occupation, I can learn it from his own lips.
So I thought the ground all over, and formed some conclusions. Do you wish to hear them?" Olive nodded, wearily. "You have told me," said Madeline, assuming a calm, business-like tone, "that Lucian Davlin testified against your husband at his trial. Now the wounded man, Percy, stated that he recognized the man who struck him?" "Yes." "Well, what was Davlin's testimony?"
There was a flash, a sharp report, and Lucian Davlin reeled for a moment, his right arm hanging helpless and bleeding. Only for a moment, for as the girl sprang past him, he wheeled about, seized her with his strong left arm, and holding her close to him in a vice-like clutch, hissed, while the ghastly paleness caused by the flowing blood overspread his face: "Little demon!
You have heard of these ladies in society, no doubt, Mr. Davlin?" "Oh, certainly," aloud, "not," aside. "And the name of the maid?" pursued Lucian. "Her name," referring to the letter, "Céline Leroque French, I presume." "No doubt," dryly. "Stop him, Miss Arthur," interrupted Cora, prettily; "he will certainly ask if she is handsome, if you let him open his mouth again."
Then, as if the information might bear upon the question of the toilet, "Does mademoiselle know that Monsieur Davlin left an hour ago?" "Certainly, Céline, but I expect a visitor. He may arrive at any time to-day, and you must do your very best with my toilet." "Mademoiselle est charmante; slight need of Céline's poor aid," cooed the little hypocrite, and the toilet proceeded.
He gave his man no clue to the present whereabouts of his subject, but set him back ten years or more, sending him to visit the scenes of school episode, and bidding him trace the life of the man, with the aid of such clues as he thought best to give, up to that time. Next, he visited another Agency, and placed a man upon the track of Lucian Davlin.
Clarence smiled a little as he replied: "Wait until you hear my business, then you will know where I am going." "All right; fire away." And the expert settled himself into a listening attitude. "The truth is, Jarvis, I want you back on the old case." "What, the gambler's?" "Yes, Davlin; he is about at the end of his rope, and will, in a short time, be trying to quit the country.
"Madeline, in heaven's name, what do you mean!" "That Lucian Davlin threw suspicion upon the innocent to screen the guilty," said the girl, in a low, firm tone. "And the guilty one, then?" "Himself. Do you think him too good for it?" sneeringly. "No, no! oh, no! But this I had never thought of yet it may be true." She fell into deep thought; after a time she started up.
If he could convince himself that the latter reason was the true one, then he would know how to act. She had kept herself informed of affairs at Oakley. Then she must have known of the fact that the so-called brother of John Arthur's wife was Lucian Davlin. She must have known that. Of course she knew it. Did not her manner on the evening of her arrival prove that?
It never once occurred to me to connect the man who brought all that trouble upon poor Philip with my Edward Percy. It does not seem possible that they could be the same. I had supposed the other Percy to be a man like like Davlin." "My dear, did you ever see Davlin?" "No." "And you have fancied him a sort of handsome horse jockey, and this Percy one of the same brotherhood?"
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