"And what about your marriage?" asked Foster. "I'll wait till I see how this thing is cleared up," said Ronald, "and then----" "Well?" "Whether her sister is guilty or not, I'll marry her." "That's a mistake." "What! A mistake to marry a noble woman like that?" said Ronald. "No, Foster, she has been tried in the furnace, and has, to my eyes, come out pure as gold." "Amen to that sweet prayer," quoted Foster, in his usual, cynical voice. * * * * * "_Carmela Cotoner to Mrs. Verschoyle_. "I cannot address you as sister till I know the truth of this terrible story. Your husband was on board the 'Neptune,' and you saw him there, though you denied doing so. The question I now ask you is, whether this awful thing is true? Did you have anything to do with your husband's death? I know that you are cruel and proud, but I do not believe you to be so base as Vassalla says. Before we can meet again, I want to be assured that your hands are free from your husband's blood. "Your sister, Carmela." * * * * * "How did she find out?" asks Mrs. Verschoyle of herself; "no one could have known that my husband was on board. Carmela certainly knew I went to see her off, but how did she discover that Lionel Ventin was my husband? There must be some traitor in the camp, and that traitor is Matteo Vassalla. I will go to him to-morrow and find out the truth. If it is as I suspect, he'll wish he had held his tongue!" * * * * * "_Matteo Vassalla to Carmela Cotoner_. "So you are down at Marlow? I hope you are enjoying the country, and getting back the roses to your cheeks, for I want my bride to look her best when married to me. London is very dull, and the only excitement is the arrival of your sister, from whom I have a note, saying she will call on me to-morrow. I will report the result of our interview in some future letter, though I hope to deliver it by word of mouth, as I am coming down to Marlow shortly, and will call on you at Sir Mark Trevor's place. Mr. Monteith is still in town, and still on his wild-goose chase, from which I'm afraid he'll derive very little gratification. I am the only person who can prove, absolutely, that your sister saw her husband on board, and had anything to do with his death, and I will keep my own counsel on condition that I receive my reward--your hand. Adieu, my dear cousin, till we meet again. "Yours for ever, MATTEO VASSALLA." * * * * * "So I have to pay the penalty of my sister's crime," said Carmela to herself on reading this letter. "In order to save her, I have to sacrifice myself! Oh, it is cruel, cruel! and yet what can I do? If she is innocent, I am free to marry the man I love; but if she is guilty, God help me! I can do nothing but sacrifice myself to save her!" * * * * * "_Ronald Monteith to Carmela Cotoner_.