That mean, pale, taunting face! the dreadful accents that vibrated within her! How could that ill-omened man have divined her connection with the incidents--the unknown incidents--of that direful night? The lean figure in the black frock-coat, and black silk waistcoat, with that great gleaming watch-chain, the long, shabby, withered face, and flushed, bald forehead; and those paltry little eyes, in their pink setting, that nevertheless fascinated her like the gaze of a serpent. How had that horrible figure come there--why was this meeting--whence his knowledge? An evil spirit incarnate he seemed to her. She blanched before it--every vestige of colour fled from her features--she stared--she gaped at him with a strange look of imbecility--and the long face seemed to enjoy and protract its triumph. Without removing his gaze he was fumbling in his pocket for his note-book, which he displayed with a faint smile, grim and pallid. 'I see you _do_ remember that night--_as well you may_, Miss Lake,' he ejaculated, in formidable tones, and with a shake of his bald head. 'Now, Miss Lake, you see this book. It contains, Madam, the skeleton of a case. The bones and joints, Ma'am, of a case. I have it here, noted and prepared. There is not a fact in it without a note of the name and address of the witness who can prove it--the _witness_--observe me.' Then there was a pause of a few seconds, during which he still kept her under his steady gaze. 'On that night, Miss Lake, the 29th September, you drove in Mr. Mark Wylder's tax-cart to the Dollington station, where, notwithstanding your veil, and your caution, you were _seen_ and _recognised_. The same occurred at Charteris. You accompanied Mr. Mark Wylder in his midnight flight to London, Miss Lake. Of your stay in London I say nothing. It was protracted to the 2nd October, when you arrived in the down train at Dollington at twelve o'clock at night, and took a cab to the "White House," where you were met by a gentleman answering the description of your brother, Captain Lake. Now, Miss Lake, I have stated no particulars, but do you think that knowing all this, and knowing the _fraud_ by which your absence was covered, and perfectly understanding, as every man conversant with this sinful world must do, the full significance of all this, I could dream of permitting you, Miss Lake, to become domesticated as an inmate in the family of a pure-minded, though simple and unfortunate clergyman?'