"I know him?" repeated Miriam, with dull surprise. "You mean I have met
him. What is his name? Heyton, of course."
"That is his name, his title," said Celia; "but he has borne several
names, has had a strange history. You knew him by the name of Derrick
Dene."
Miriam did not start; but the pallor of her face increased, and her
tear-swollen eyes fixed themselves with a kind of wan wonder and shame
on Celia.
"Derrick Dene!" she echoed, faintly.
"Yes," murmured Celia; and, as briefly and gently as she could, she told
Miriam of Derrick's recent experiences. Miriam's hands went up to her
face; but they dropped into her lap again and she looked before her and
said, in a stricken voice, "I see you know everything. Yes, it was Heyton, my husband, who forged
the cheque; I know it now: he is capable of--anything." She shuddered.
"It was to save me from the shame and unhappiness of being a felon's
wife that Derrick sacrificed himself. Yes; it was just what he would
do." She glanced at Celia. "You know, of course, that I--I once cared
for him; that we were to be married; I jilted him for a title, for
money----"
"Don't say any more," pleaded Celia; but Miriam went on ruthlessly.
"I was a weak fool; I might have known that no good would come of such
treachery--oh, yes, I knew in my heart; I knew that Derrick was worth a
hundred of him. I sinned with my eyes open; no, I shut them; I was
blinded by the thought, the prospect of being--what I am," she added
bitterly; then, suddenly, she fixed her eyes on Celia's downcast face.
"Derrick told you this? Then he knows you very well; you are a close
friend of his; you are----?"
"Yes," murmured Celia. "I am going to be his wife--very soon. We met in
'The Jail.'" She did not, she could not tell how that meeting had been
brought about; she wanted to spare Miriam all she could; but,
notwithstanding her resolution, the next words slipped out
unconsciously. "He was accused of the robbery of the jewels----" She bit
her lip; but it was too late for remorse.
Miriam dropped back in the chair, her eyes closed and her lips became
livid.
"He did not do it!" she gasped.
"No, no!" said Celia, quickly; "he has been proved innocent."
There was silence for a moment; while Miriam evidently made an effort to
control her agitation.