"I am obliged to. He told me something which I had long suspected--
something you certainly must learn."
"Is it a fresh attack on my pocket?" asked Denzil, with resignation.
"No, but something that will grieve you far more. I have been trying
for a long time to get it out of him, and now that I have succeeded
I almost wish the thought had never occurred to me."
"Pray, pray don't keep me in suspense, Mrs. Wade."
"Northway did _not_ make his discovery by chance. You were betrayed
to him--by a seeming friend."
Denzil looked steadily at her.
"A friend?--He has deceived you. Only one acquaintance of mine
knew."
"Mr. Glazzard. It was he who laid a plot for your downfall."
Quarrier moved impatiently.
"Mrs. Wade, you are being played upon by this scoundrel. There is no
end to his contrivances."
"No, he has told me the truth," she pursued, with agitated voice.
"Listen to the story, first of all."
She related to him, in accurate detail, all that had passed between
Northway and Mr. Marks.
"And Mr. Marks was Mr. Glazzard, undoubtedly. His description
tallies exactly."
Denzil broke out indignantly.
"The whole thing is a fabrication I not only _won't_ believe it, but
simply _can't_. You say that you have suspected this?"
"I have--from the moment when Lilian told me that Mr. Glazzard
knew."
"That's astounding!--Then why should you have desired to be on
friendly terms with the Glazzards?"
Mrs.
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