_"Fact 9._--Following the same system of concealment, my lady levanted
from London within ten days of her confinement.
"Now put all these coincidences together. Don't you see that she had a
lover, and that he was about her in London and other places? Stop!
_Fact 10._--Those two were married for years, and had no child but this
equivocal one; and now four years and a half have passed, during all
which time they have had none, and the young parson has been abroad
during that period."
Wheeler was staggered and perplexed by this artful array of
coincidences.
"Now advise me," said Bassett.
"It is not so easy. Of course if Sir Charles was to die, you could
claim the estate, and give them a great deal of pain and annoyance; but
the burden of proof would always rest on you. My advice is not to
breathe a syllable of this; but get a good detective, and push your
inquiries a little further among house agents, and the women they put
into houses; find that charwoman, and see if you can pick up anything
more."
"Do you know such a thing as an able detective?"
"I know one that will work if I instruct him."
"Instruct him, then."
"I will."
CHAPTER XXXV.
LADY BASSETT, as her time of trial drew near, became despondent.
She spoke of the future, and tried to pierce it; and in all these
little loving speculations and anxieties there was no longer any
mention of herself.
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