She shook her head, holding her breath the while, and glaring at him with eyes full of abject fear. "Why?" "Ah! don't ask me, George," she murmured, with her chin sunk upon the lace on her breast. "I am the most wretched woman on earth, because I have wilfully deceived you. I had no right to love you; no right to let you believe that I was pure and good; no right to allow you to place faith in me. You will hate me when you know all." "For what reason?" he cried, dismayed. "My life is overshadowed by evil," she answered vaguely, in a despairing voice. "I have sinned before God, and must bear the punishment." "There is forgiveness for those who repent," the woman observed slowly, a hard, cold expression upon her face, as she watched the desperate girl trembling before her. "There is none for me," she cried in utter despondency, haunted by fear, and bursting again into tears. "None! I can hope for no forgiveness." At that instant the door of the room was opened, and two persons entered unannounced. George and Liane were standing together in the centre of the saloon, while Mariette was still seated with her back to the door, so that the new comers did not at first notice her presence. The men were Brooker and Zertho. "We have followed you here with your lover," exclaimed the Prince angrily, addressing Liane. "We saw you driving to the station together, and watched you. We--" "The Golden Hand" hearing the voice, turned, and springing to her feet faced them. "Mariette!" Zertho gasped, blanched and aghast, the words dying from his pale lips. In their eagerness to follow Liane and George they had entered the villa, not knowing that therein dwelt the woman from whom they intended on the morrow to fly. CHAPTER NINETEEN. THE MINIATURE. Zertho gave her a single glance full of hatred, then, with a gesture of impatience after a few quick words, turned to make his exit. As he did so, however, he found himself face to face with a man who, standing in the doorway, resolutely barred his passage. He stood glaring at him as one stupefied. The man was Max Richards. "No," the latter said. "Now that you have chosen to call here uninvited it is at least polite to remain at the invitation of your hostess." "Let me pass!" he cried threateningly. "I shall not!" Richards answered with firmness, his back to the half-closed door, while Brooker stood watching the scene, himself full of fear and dismay. "This is a conspiracy!" Zertho exclaimed, his trembling hands clenched, his face livid. "Listen!" Mariette cried, her cheeks flushed with excitement as she stepped boldly forward and faced him. "This is a counterplot only to combat your dastardly intrigue. The innocent shall no longer suffer for the sins of the guilty." "The guilty!" he echoed, with an insolent laugh. "You mean yourself!"