“Have you not forgotten something?” she inquired at last. “Forgotten something?” repeated Peter, blinking at her sleepily. “No. What have I forgotten?” “I thought perhaps you might have forgotten to ask whether I wanted to go or not,” replied Lettie, standing quietly before him. “Ha! ha! ha!” laughed Coleman faintly. “So we did; but then we relied on your friendship. I dare say you would like the visit well enough; but give it up, Lettie, to please me, and I will give you a trip to New York to pay for it.” Lettie looked down on the nearly drunken man before her with disgust. “I am sorry to interfere with your plans,” she said at length; “but I shall start to-night.” “But, Lettie, you do not understand,” exclaimed Peter, sobering a little. “I am playing for big stakes here, and I dare not offend Elwell--at least, until after he is married.” “I dare,” said the girl, raising her fine figure proudly. “Yes; but you will please me in this,” he said coaxingly. “You must not go. What can I say to Elwell?” “You might give him this,” replied Lettie, taking from her pocket a scrap of paper and tossing it to him. She turned as she was leaving the room, and added: “If you dare.” Peter heard her laugh as she went through the hall. He was staring at the door blankly. At last his eye fell on the bit of paper he held in his hand, and he sprang to his feet with a mighty oath. It was the circular he had picked up in his office the day Elwell had applied for his divorce. It was the list of death claims paid by the Widows’ and Orphans’ Mutual Benefit Tontine Life Insurance Company, and contained among others the name of Clinton Percival. He was greatly disturbed. “I wonder how much she knows,” he muttered, “and what she intends to do with her knowledge?” He was completely sobered now, and paced up and down the room in a very savage manner. “I would like to know how she got hold of that?” he muttered, staring blankly at the bit of paper. But the paper could give him no answer, and he resumed his march as savagely as before. After thinking deeply for a few moments, he rang the bell. “Ask Miss Lettie to step here for a moment,” he said shortly to the servant. She disappeared, but soon returned with the information that Miss Lettie was engaged. “Tell her I _must_ see her for a moment!” cried Peter savagely. “_Must_ see her! Do you understand?” The servant disappeared again, somewhat frightened this time; but returned almost immediately to say that Miss Lettie was busy and would not come. And having delivered this message through the partly open door, she took to her heels and fled. Coleman swore savagely and left the house, slamming the door after him with unnecessary violence. “I had better see Elwell,” he muttered anxiously, as he hurried along. “I’ll try to smooth him over; for there is no possibility of stopping that cat now, unless I chuck her into the lake.”