“Rose Moulton—for I am convinced that you are indeed she whom I once called sister, for no other could have had that brooch—for this once, and only this once, will I condescend to answer your question, then you must tramp. I never will recognize you. You chose your own path in life, and now you may reap the fruits of it. After I left you that night, as I thought, to die, I resolved never to think of you again; you might die and rot, you and yours, before I would lift a finger to save you. “I did not leave the city, for it was my pleasure to stay. I was plotting vengeance against one whom I had followed for years. A week went by, when all at once it flashed upon me, that if I had your boy, I could use him to carry out my plans; so I resolved to go back and get the young one——” “Oh, Heaven! pity—spare me!” groaned the stricken mother, sinking back among the bushes, and burying her face in her emaciated hands. “Yes,” pursued the villain, “I knew if rightly trained, he would be just the one for my purpose. You know all about that silly story of my youth; how Ellerton stole my bride. And that was not all, either, that I had against that family. Your own seared heart, and blighted life, will bear me witness to that. “Well, Ellerton was in Naples. I had followed him there. His wife was dead, but he, poor love-sick youth, could not get over it, and so went abroad to take his mind from his grief. His son and nurse were with him. He left them at Naples while he went traveling for a few months. “His boy was not very well—was pale and puny, but after his father’s departure he began to pick up, and grew wonderfully, until I was struck with his strong resemblance to Ralph, who you know was always small for his age. There was two years difference in their ages, but you would never have known it, and a stranger would have sworn they were twins. Satan must have put the idea into my head, for I resolved to change the children. I resolved to have my darling’s child to myself, and let him have yours to bring up and educate.” “Ralph Moulton, curse you—curse you!” shrieked the poor creature, rocking to and fro in her agony. “Hold, I have not finished yet. You wanted to know how your boy had been brought up, and I am telling you. I felt assured that if I could effect the change without the nurse’s knowledge, the father would never be the wiser, for they were so near alike. “For weeks and weeks I watched, but it was of no use; the nurse was always with him, never leaving him for a moment. But one day fortune favored me. They were out in a grove behind their villa, and the boy begged for a drink of water. The nurse tried to make him go in to get it, but he was obstinate and refused.