Before the year was out--before half the year was
out--you should have seen Mrs. Lecount dismissed by her master, and
you should have seen me taken into the house in her place, as Michael
Vanstone's adopted daughter--as the faithful friend--who had saved him
from an adventuress in his old age. Girls no older than I am have tried
deceptions as hopeless in appearance as mine, and have carried them
through to the end. I had my story ready; I had my plans all considered;
I had the weak point in that old man to attack in my way, which Mrs.
Lecount had found out before me to attack in hers, and I tell you again
I should have succeeded."
"I think you would," said the captain. "And what next?"
"Mr. Michael Vanstone would have changed his man of business next. You
would have succeeded to the place; and those clever speculations on
which he was so fond of venturing would have cost him the fortunes of
which he had robbed my sister and myself. To the last farthing, Captain
Wragge, as certainly as you sit there, to the last farthing! A
bold conspiracy, a shocking deception--wasn't it? I don't care! Any
conspiracy, any deception, is justified to my conscience by the vile law
which has left us helpless.
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