“I mean,” he said, dropping his voice to a low, tense sound of intense bitterness--“I mean that I have discovered Aline’s shameful secret.” “Papa, papa, you have discovered it! You know it, and yet I have not had to break my vow! Oh! how glad I am!” cried Aline, and a light of joy broke over the fair face, almost transfiguring its beauty. Such happy roses glowed on her countenance, such a radiant light shone in the deep blue eyes as struck her father with wonder. “Aline, I cannot understand what you mean,” he said, sharply. “I have discovered nothing that could make you happy. This, that I have to tell your mother, is enough to strike you dead with shame at her feet, because you have so dishonored her!” CHAPTER XLII. A moment of utter silence ensued upon Mr. Rodney’s excited declaration. Mrs. Rodney had fallen into a chair like one stunned at her husband’s dreadful words. She stared alternately from his face to Aline’s in hopeless bewilderment. But although she was in a maze of wonder, her bewilderment did not by any means equal that of her daughter. Aline had attempted to rise from her seat, but her extreme weakness forced her to grasp the back of her chair with both hands. She clung to it tightly, leaning against it while she regarded her father with startled, wide-open eyes, and slightly parted, tremulous lips. As he gazed at the fair, wondering, innocent face, he was suddenly reminded of her childish days. Just so the beautiful face had looked many a time when, as a willful child, she had been reprimanded and blamed innocently for many pranks that she had not done; just so the dew of unshed tears had seemed to glitter on the dark, curling fringe of her lashes. The appealing innocence of that look cut him to the heart for a moment, and then he was angry with himself for his weakness. How dare she look so pure and true when she was such a sinner? In a moment she spoke--gently, almost appealingly. “Papa, there must be some mistake. You said you knew my secret?” “Yes, to my sorrow,” he replied, bitterly. “But, papa,” she spoke in a slow, grieved tone, “if you know it, as you say, why, then, do you talk of shame to me? It you know that secret you say you know, you must be aware that I have done nothing to blush for. Why should I fall down dead at my mother’s feet when I have done no wrong?” “Aline, why do you try to keep up that wretched farce?” he exclaimed, hoarsely, while his eyes flashed luridly. “My God, you, the child we loved so dearly, the child we thought so innocent and true, you have been the falsest-hearted girl that ever a mother bore! Even while we were searching for you in anguish of soul, deeming you lost or dead, you were heartlessly hiding yourself away in the house of the rich man yonder. You were living with him in terrible shame. Say, is this not true?”