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for I havé nd proof of it; but I have proof
of other villainy that will ruin you.”
“ By Heaven! you shall rue those words,”
and Sir Grey moved toward the man, as
though to strike him down, but he put him-
self on his guard, drawing from beneath his
jacket a long knife, while he said, sternly :
“ Don’t threaten me, Sir Grey Alstone, for
Iam no man to submit to it; but I repeat,
Iean ruin you, and, by the Lord above, I
will if you do not pay mo the sum I de-
mand.”
The baronet knew not what dread seerct
the man held, but having been a sinful man
in the past, his conscience warned him that
he faced a deadly foe that he must not drive
too hard, and he said anxiously :
“What is it that you know, Robert
Brent ?”
“T know, Sir Grey Alstone, that when my
father was your father’s agent, my: sister
and myself lived with him in.a_ pretty
cottage-house not far from the mansion and
that you won the love of poor Bertie, de-
ecived and dishonoured her, and then forced
her to marry a young seapegrace, whom you
paid to aid’ you in keeping secret your
wrong to her, as just then you were about
to be married.
“The same night that Lady Alstone gave
birth to an infant, a little girl was born in
our humble cottage; but mark the difference.
“Tho nurse who’ had been summoned
from my sister's side to caro for Lady
Alstone, showed you your boy, @ fearfully
deformed infant, and told you of Bertie’s
pretty baby girl.
“Instantly you bribed her to an act of
villainy, which was to chango the children
at once, for neither mother had seen her
child, and, as you remember, the old doctor
was ill and in bed in the mansion, not to be
called in except in direct need.
“The nurse, Nan Nailor, aceepted your
bribe, carried your deformed child in her
arms to our cottage, placed it by the side of
poor Bertic, and took her swect babe back
to the elegant cradle of Lady Alstone.”
“Tt is a lic,” almost shricked Sir Grey.
“It ig the truth, as you know, and as I
can prove, for old Nan Nailor did not die of
the poison you administered to her—”
“Good Heavens !”
“ Ah! well may you cry out, for sho lives
and told me all, and I am taking care of her
in her old age.”
“No one will believe her.”
“ Sho has told but one other, and—”
“ And in the namo of Heaven, who is it
that she has told?” cried Sir Grey in
trembling tones.
“The priest whom we call Pere Brandt.”
The baronet gave a sigh of relief, and
Robert Brent continued :
“You may reniembet that Bertie, poor
girl, never recovered from the shock, when
she beheld the deformed child, which sho
considered a punishment for her sin, and sho
and the poor little wretch died the same day
atid were buried together.
“ But in their coffin was a papor in a tin
box, written by Nan Nailor, telling of her
wrong in being bribed by you.
“ Bortie’s child did not die, but grew to
womanhood, and is now known as Lady
Eve Alstone; but should the world know
that she is not your daughter she would
have no claim upon the fortune she now
has.”
Sir Grey Alstone was now as white asa
corpse.
He twice tried to speal, but coule not,
while Robert Brent stood confronting him,
evidently enjoying the anguish he had
brought upon him.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE DEMAND,
“ Say,OW, Sir Grey Alstone, you will sce
SINb the propricty of giving me gold,
“S23 when I ask it of you.”
Robert Brent spoke in a tone in which
there was no mistaking the threat that he
would divulge all unless the gold was forth-
coming, and so the baronet understood it,
but he cried, hoarsely :
“ T have no gold of my own.”
“T care not whose gold you give, so long
as I get it.”
‘But I can get no moncy for you.”
“A man who has a fortune under his
control, can certainly raise a few thousands
for 2 poor man,” was the sneer,
‘What! do you mean to beg of me
thousands >” cried the baronet, in alarm.
“T beg of you nothing, Sir Grey, I de-
mand of you two thousand pounds.”
“ T can never give it to you.”
“Then I shall take all from you by show-
ing that Lady Eve has no right to it, and
that you have sinned in palming her off as
your child, and in attempting to poison old
Nan to bury the sceret.”
“ Now, my demand isa small one, so say,
whether you will pay it or not, so I’ may
know how to act.”
The baronet trembled with fear and fairly
quivered with rage! but he knew he was
the slave of the sins he had committed,
and that he must do as the master who held
his secrets dictated.
His pay as Commissioner he readily spent
by the day he drew it, and he took from
Lady Eve’s fortune his living expenses and
luxuries, and the two thousand pounds
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