WYLDER'S HAJVD.
377
"Now, Miss Lake, we are sitting here in the presence
of Him who is the searcher of hearts, and before whom
nothing is secret — your eye is upon mine and mine on
yours — and I ask you, do you remember the night of
the IQth of September last?"
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 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. An evil spirit incarnate he seemed to her. She
blanched before it — every vestige of color 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-booki, 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 cau-