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'down upon her knees and seized
Lucy's hands.
"I want you to be an honest wom
an. Give him up to me," she said.
"I don't understand," faltered
Lucy, and a sense of impending dis
aster overcame her, so that she
could hardly see. She felt that she
was trembling and put out one hand
to steady herself.
The woman leaped to her feet; she
was meanacing now. "0 yes, you un
derstand," she cried. "You have
stolen him from me; you have won
his love, you you bad woman. He
was 'mine before he ever set eyes on
you." She tore a paper from her
bosom. "There is my marriage cer
tificate," she exclaimed. "I have
been his wife sii years. And he
leaves me for you! What can he see
in you, you "
Her voice broke, and, snatching at
the document, she replaced it in her
. go wn again.
" I want you to give him up," she
' pleaded. "It is not yet too late. I
have had you watched both of you.
I have my detectives watching this
office now. I am going to bring a
suit against you both unless you
promise me never to see him again."
"You are his wife?" inquired Lucy,
strangely, dispassionately. It seemed
too ridiculous to be true. The whole
scene was unreal, and she half ex
pected to awake from it and find her
self dreaming at her desk, waiting
for Branscombe's return from court.
"I am his wife and the mother of
his child," answered the woman,
catching at her hand again. "And I
( want you to be an honest girl and let
' him go. For he will tire of you just
as he has tired of me. He follows
every pretty face. You think he will
'divorce me and marry you, you fool.
That will never be. Leave him."
"I had no idea of such a thing,"
faltered Lucy. She looked into the
woman's face. Through the tears
that filled her eyes she saw there the
look of outraged womanhood that
bore sure stamp of conviction. This
"woman ras speaking the truth.
She had been Branscombesr play
thing. And how heartless "he had
been. This had been no sudden and
irresistible passion, but cunningly
contrived, and she, poor fly, "had
walked into the spider's trap. She
knew now what her mother meant
by "foolishness."
"What are you going to do?"
questioned the woman eagerly.
"I am going to leave this office
and never come back," said Lucy
quietly.
"God bless you God bless you,"
the woman wept "You will never
regret it."
Lucy put on her hat and pulled on
her gloves. There was plenty of
time, for Branscombe -would not be
back for an hour yet, unless the case
ended unexpectedly. She would
write him a short note. She took
up her pen and set it down again.
No, no need of that She would, go
out of his life as quietly as she had
come into it. He need not know the
reason unless his wife tojd him.
And in spite of it all, she could not
regret those happy hours together.
She knew that she would always re
member their love with pride and
happiness. That was what made her
so calm now.
She unlocked the door and show
ed the woman out. They stood to
gether one moment in the passage,
and the woman raised her hands to
her lips.
"I thank you with all my heart
for my boy's sake," she 'said. "I am
sure you never knew."
"No, I didn't know," said Lucy.
They went side by side down the
passage, like old friends. Lucy
pressed the elevator, button and the
cage shot down. They stepped in, '
and a moment later were at the
ground floor. They stepped out and
at the door came face to face with
Branscombe.
"Why, Lucy Miss Bentwich," he
looked at her curiously.
She made to -pass him, but as he
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