"Later," said Hale, with dignity, "I can give you the married name of this young lady's mother. Meanwhile, the cross is----" "Is here," said Maud, and opening a little bag which was swinging on her wrist, she extracted therefrom a red morocco case and handed it to Jabez. He opened it gravely and beheld the long-lost ornament. "It was my dear mother's," added Miss Ellis with feigned pathos, as though the sight was too much for her tender heart. "My grandfather gave it to her, and----" "And your mother gave it to you," ended Jabez, seeing with his usual keen gaze that her eyes were dry behind the handkerchief she was holding to them. "No," she replied, unexpectedly and sadly. "I never set eyes upon it until Mr. Hale saw me a few days ago." "Permit me to explain," said Hale, as watchful as a cat. "As I told you, Miss Morse----" "Still no married name," muttered the solicitor ironically. "That will be told later," remarked Hale, provokingly self-possessed. "I have first to tell my story." "Go on," Jabez stretched his legs and put his hands in his pockets, "it is sure to be interesting." "I hope so," rejoined Hale, making a sign to Maud that she should not talk, "and already you know much of it." "Let me see. Yes, I remember. You told me at Rose Cottage, in the presence of Mrs. Walker, that Miss Morse died at your Wimbledon house in the arms of your wife. She gave the cross to your wife, who afterwards gave it to the nurse, Bridget Burke. She in her turn gave it to your daughter Lesbia, who presented it to young Walker from whom it was stolen. Am I right?" "Perfectly," said Hale gravely. "So you can see how Miss Morse here, never set eyes on it until I brought it to her." "And how did you become possessed of it?" "I shall explain that, when you have heard Miss Morse's story." Maud put up her veil and wiped her lips. "I am only too anxious to tell it," she declared eagerly, "and----" Jabez cut her short. "I am sure you are, but before hearing it I should like to remind Mr. Hale that he declared in my presence and in the presence of Mrs. Walker that there was no child." "Quite so," said Hale promptly. "I am not bound to tell you anything I desire to keep silent." "I think you will have to do so, if you wish this young lady to get fifty thousand pounds," said Jabez coolly. "Of course: that is why I am here. But I refer to the interview at my Marlow cottage. Then, I was not bound to speak. I speak now. There was not any child with Miss Morse when she died at my Wimbledon house. But with her last breath she told me where she had left the child--in a poor neighbourhood and with a poor woman." "Who was very good to me," said Maud, with tenderness very well acted. "Dear Mrs. Tait, shall I ever forget her kindness?" "Tait. Humph. So that's the name, is it?"