She was sworn, and
stood there blushing and pale by turns.
"What is your name?" asked Duff Salter gently. "Speak very plain, so
that all these good friends of yours may make no mistake."
"My name," replied the lady, "is Agnes Zane. I am the wife of Mr. Andrew
Zane."
"Very good," said Duff Salter soothingly. "You are the wife of Andrew
Zane; wedded how long ago, madam?"
"Eight months."
"Do you see any person in this court-room, Mrs. Zane, that you wish to
identify? Let all be seated."
Poor Agnes looked timidly around the place, and saw a person, at whom
all were gazing, rise and reach his arms toward her.
"Gracious God!" she whispered, "is it he?"
"It is, dear wife," cried Andrew Zane. "Come to my heart."
CHAPTER X.
THE SECRET MARRIAGE.
Reverend Silas Van de Lear was drawing his latest breaths in the house
of one of his elder sons, and only his lips were seen to move in silent
prayer, when a younger fellow-clergyman entering, to a cluster of his
cloth attending there, said audibly:
"This is a strange _denouement_ to the great Kensington scandal, which
has happened this afternoon."
The large, voluptuous lady with the slowly declining eyelids raised them
quietly as in languid surprise.
"You mean the Zane murder? What is it?" asked a minister, while others
gathered around, showing the ministry to have human curiosity even in
the hour and article of death.
Pages:
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266