And so it happened, a slip of the tongue, one inadvertent, indiscreet admission, gave him his cue. A vision opened to his mind and he immediately speculated on its possibilities. "Then the ring belongs to Mrs. Thorpe?" he questioned, insidiously. "Yes," Virginia affirmed, in a halting way. "John gave it to Constance before they were married." "Oh, indeed!" Rutley exclaimed, and he muttered low and meaningly, while the whites of his eyes gleamed with sinister import. "Corway wears a ring given by John Thorpe to his wife." Soon as he had spoken Virginia heard and instinctively felt that she had been indiscreet in admitting the ring belonged to Constance, and said by way of caution: "Of course, I trust in the honor of your lordship to refrain from connecting Mrs. Thorpe's name with the ring, or to, in any manner, let it be known that you know it is not mine." Evidently Rutley did not hear her, for he was absorbed in thought--thought that produced an evil gleam in his eyes. A slight pause followed, and taking it for granted my lord would not betray the trust she reposed in him, she said, as looking in his eyes with significant daring: "Draw John's notice to it as confirming Corway's bold and deceitful attention to Hazel." Virginia was aware that John would recognize the ring as his wife's, but she under-rated the violence of the storm it would precipitate, and she trusted too much in her own ability to control it in the direction she desired. She likewise rated Beauchamp as a weak, egotistical, effeminate sort of man. She was now to experience her great mistake. Rutley in his turn fixed his gaze steadfastly upon her, and which became so intense, so mysteriously searching, as to cause her, strong-minded woman as she was, to feel she was but a weak thing beside him. He spoke quietly and without the faintest tremor in his voice. "Do you know to whom you suggested this?" "Lord Beauchamp," she timidly responded. And then there suddenly sprang into her eyes a new light, accompanied by a slight start. "Why do you start?" asked Rutley, not for a moment removing his eyes from hers. "No, 'tis impossible. You cannot be Philip Rutley?" she gasped, as she drew back amazed. "For you have already denied him once to me." "Yes, I am he!" he exclaimed. There followed a moment of profound silence. Rutley watching the effect of his disclosure upon her. And she, at first astounded by his audacious nerve, at length grasped his position, and finally smiled, as though in admiration of his arch achievement. "You are a master imposter," she broke in. "Be as clever with the material I have given you, and Corway will not long stand in your way." "Did Hazel tell you of my proposal to her three years ago?" "Yes," she answered promptly. "I believe she rejected me at that time because of Corway," he musingly added. "Your opportunity is at hand," she affirmed. "I accept it;" and then he cautioned in a low tone: "Be careful never to breathe my real name."