‘That is so,’ said Richard politely. ‘May we hope for your congratulations?’ She ignored the remark. ‘Do you know whom you are marrying?’ she asked curtly. ‘I am under the impression that I am about to marry the daughter of Mr. Raphael Craig, manager of the Kilburn branch of the British and Scottish Bank.’ ‘You are about to do nothing of the sort,’ said Juana. ‘Mr. Raphael Craig has no daughter. Teresa and myself, I may explain to you, are twin-sisters, though I have the misfortune to look much the older. We have always passed as the daughters of Mr. Craig, We have always called him father. Teresa still thinks him her father. It was only recently that I discovered----’ ‘Juana,’ the old man interrupted, ‘have you, too, got hold of the wild tale? It is astonishing how long a falsehood, an idle rumour, will survive and flourish.’ ‘There is no falsehood, no idle rumour,’ said Juana coldly; ‘and I think it proper that Mr. Redgrave should know all that I know.’ ‘It will make no difference whatever to me,’ said Richard, ‘whose daughter Teresa may be. ‘It is herself, and not her ancestors, that I shall have the honour of marrying.’ ‘Still,’ said Juana, ‘do you not think that you ought to know Teresa’s history?’ ‘Decidedly,’ said Richard. With an embittered glance at her father, Juana resumed: ‘Some time ago, Mr. Redgrave, a difficulty between Mr. Craig and myself led to my leaving this house. I was the merest girl, but I left. I was too proud to stay. I had a mare of my own, whom I had trained to do a number of tricks. I could ride as well as most. Bosco’s circus happened to be in the neighbourhood. I conceived the wild idea of applying for a situation in the circus. Only a girl utterly inexperienced in life would have dreamt of such a thing. The circus people had me performing for them, and they engaged me. On the whole I lived a not unhappy existence. I tell you this only to account for my presence not long since in Limerick.’ ‘Limerick!’ exclaimed Raphael Craig in alarm. ‘You have been there?’ Juana continued calmly: ‘The circus travelled in Ireland, and eventually came to Limerick. I knew that Limerick was my mother’s home, and I began to make inquiries. I found out that my sister and I were born previous to Mr. Craig’s marriage with my mother. She had been married before, or she had, at least, been through the ceremony of marriage with another man--a man unknown, who came suddenly into her life and as suddenly went out of it. You will gather, then, that Mr. Craig is not our father, and that he has no authority over us.’ ‘Redgrave,’ muttered Raphael Craig, ‘I tell you the poor girl is mad.’ Juana resumed quietly: