“What do you mean, my son?” demanded his father, who saw that something was very wrong between them, and was almost in despair over his inexplicable conduct. “Has he not told you how I cheated him out of his wife?” Everet asked, supposing, of course, that that wretched story had been rehearsed. “Cheated him out of his wife!” repeated Colonel Mapleson, growing pale, and glancing apprehensively from one to the other. His son gave vent to a short, nervous laugh, but feeling considerably crest-fallen at having so recklessly betrayed himself, since he saw that nothing had been said about his miserable plot. Mr. Huntress here interposed, seeing that the truth must come out, and explained in a few brief sentences what had happened. Colonel Mapleson sank back white and nervous, as he listened, realizing, almost at the outset, the terrible thing which his son had so nearly accomplished. “Do you know what you have done, Everet Mapleson?” he said, in a solemn, impressive tone, when his visitor concluded, and the young man was startled and awed in spite of his bravado. “You have been upon the brink of a fearful precipice; you have very nearly committed a dreadful crime, for which I could never have forgiven you, for which you would never have forgiven yourself; the girl whom you have sought to make your wife is your sister.” The young man grew pale, but more at his father’s tone than from any conviction of the truth of his statement. But he rallied after a moment. “What stuff are you telling me?” he retorted, contemptuously. “It is no ‘stuff;’ it is sternest truth; Gladys Huntress is an _adopted daughter_.” “Ha!” and now Everet Mapleson seemed suddenly galvanized. “Did Annie Dale have another child?” he demanded, with hueless lips. “No; but she is your _mother’s_ child, by a former marriage.” “Great Heaven!” There was no defiance or recklessness in his manner now. He sank breathless upon a chair, a horrified look upon his face, a shiver shaking him from head to foot, perspiration starting from every pore. “My mother’s child! _Impossible!_ Who told you?” he questioned, hoarsely. “Your mother herself! She was unexpectedly brought face to face with Mr. Huntress to-night; she recognized him and fainted. Upon recovering she confessed to a former marriage, and said, in order to conceal the fact, she had been obliged to give away her child—that Mr. Huntress was the man who adopted her.” Colonel Mapleson then went on to explain more at length something of the occurrences of the evening, but he was interrupted in the midst of his recital by Everet throwing himself prostrate upon the floor, while a heart-rending groan burst from him as he fell. When they raised him he was unconscious, and a small stream of blood was trickling from his mouth. He was carried at once to his room, a servant was immediately dispatched for a doctor, while his anxious friends used what remedies there were at hand for his relief.