“My dear madam, I am perfectly capable of conducting this affair to our mutual satisfaction and without running my head into any trap, as you so pleasantly suggest.  And right here allow me to say that it would be just as well for you not to make those insinuations which you are so fond of throwing out at random.  As I said before, no living person outside of myself, including even yourself, knows the facts regarding that will.  You have your own surmises, but they are only surmises, and you had best keep them to yourself as you know enough of me by this time to know it will be to your interest to accept my suggestions and fall in line with my plans.”

Her face was in the shadow, and he did not see the scornful curl of her lip or her peculiar expression, as she remarked coldly,-

“You are only wasting words and time in your efforts to intimidate me.  You have not yet made any suggestions or outlined any plans.  I have asked you what you propose to do.”

“I have not time to go into details, but, briefly stated, I propose, when the right opportunity presents itself, to prove, first, that this document filed to-day is a forgery.  If I can show conclusively that the original will was accidentally lost, or intentionally destroyed, or if I happen to have the original in my possession, - under any of these conditions I gain my first point.  Then, through your testimony, I shall demonstrate unequivocally a still more important point, that this so-called heir is a gross impostor, that no such individual exists.”

“And for this, you expect — what?”

“For this I shall demand a handsome remuneration, to be divided, of course, between yourself and myself, and Ralph Mainwaring will only too gladly give the half of his kingdom for such services.”

“And your testimony would have so much weight with Ralph Mainwaring and the Bartons, and with every one else who has any knowledge of your London history!”

Hobson winced visibly, but before he could reply she continued: 

“You are talking the most arrant foolishness.  You know that those men would not allow your testimony in court; they would very quickly procure evidence to show that your word, even under oath, is worthless; that you are a liar, a perjurer and a — "

“Not so fast, not so fast, my lady.  If past histories are to be raked up, I know of one which embraces a much wider area than London alone; Melbourne, for instance, and Paris and Vienna, to say nothing of more recent events!”

“Do your worst, and I will do mine!” she replied, defiantly.  “That is nothing to the point, however.  What I have to say is this:  You are a fool if you think that you or I can ever extort money from Ralph Mainwaring.  He would give no credence whatever to anything that you might say, and if once my identity were revealed to him, he would go through fire and blood rather than that one shilling of his should ever become mine.”