"I'm in the laces," said Ida May. "But Hoskin & Marl sell lots besides dry goods."

"Oh, yes! Annabel did say something about automobiles and--and plasters; didn't she, Ira?"

"Goodness knows," rejoined her husband with a groan. "Annabel Coffin said so much the last time she was here that my head buzzes now when I think of her."

"Now, you hesh!" said Prudence. "Never can interest a man in such things. So you sold laces, did you, my dear? Oh, Ida May!" she exclaimed suddenly to Sheila, sitting on the other side of the table. "Ida May, what did you say you sold in that store? You worked for Hoskin & Marl, didn't you?"

"Ye-es. I--I was in the silverware and jewelry department,"

stammered Sheila, the question coming so unexpectedly that she could not exercise consideration before making answer.

"Now, is that so?" cried Prudence. "That must have been nice. To handle all them pretty things. But lace is pretty, too," she added, turning quickly to the guest again. "I expect you find it so."

The old woman was startled into silence by the expression she saw upon Ida May's face. The latter was glaring across the table at Sheila. No other word could so express the intense and malevolent look in those greenish-brown eyes and on that sharp countenance.

Sheila's gaze was enthralled as well by Ida May's sudden emotion.

She half rose from her chair. But her strength left her limbs again, and she fell back into the seat.

"What's the matter, Ida May?" demanded Cap'n Ira, in wonder and alarm.

The real Ida May sprang up with a shriek. She shook her hand at Sheila and for a moment could not articulate. Then she said:

"I know her now! I knew I'd seen that creature before and I thought I'd remember what and who she is. And she dares come down here and sneak her way into honest people's houses! The gall of her!"

CHAPTER XXVIII

GONE

"Looker here, girl!" exclaimed Cap'n Ira sternly. Putting his hand upon Ida May's shoulder, he forced her down into her chair again.

His own eyes gleamed angrily, and his countenance expressed his wrath. "What was you told on coming here? Didn't you promise to keep a taut line on all that foolishness? I won't stand for it. No, Prudence!" he exclaimed, as his wife tried to interfere. "I won't stand for it. She must either keep away from that business, or I'll put her right out of the house. Leastways, it being night, I'll send her to her room."

"Do you think you can boss me like that?" cried Ida May hotly, so angry herself that she forgot her fear of him. "I'm not your slave, nor your hired help, like that creature." She pointed scornfully at Sheila. "And you'll just listen to something I've got to say. If you don't, I'll go out to-morrow and tell everybody in this hick town.

I'll hire a hall to tell 'em in!"

"Won't--won't you be good, deary?" begged Prudence, before her husband could make any rejoinder to this defiance. "You know you promised Elder Minnett you would be if we let you come here."

"I don't want to stay here. I've seen enough of this place and you all! And I would be ashamed to stay any longer than I can help with folks that take in such a girl as she is."

Again Ida May's little claw indicated Sheila, who stared, speechless, helpless, at least for the time being. The hara.s.sed girl could fight for herself no longer. She knew that she was on the verge of betrayal. She could not stem the tide of Ida May's venom.

The latter must make the revelation which had threatened ever since she had come to Wreckers' Head. There was no way of longer smothering the truth. It would come out!

"Look here," Cap'n Ira said, his curiosity finally aroused, "the elder says you ain't crazy! But it looks to me--"

"I'm not crazy, I can tell you," snapped Ida May, taking him up short. "But I guess you and Aunt Prue must be. Why, you don't even know the name of this girl you took in instead of me--in my rightful place. But I can tell you who she is--and what she's done. I remember her now. I knew I'd seen her before--the hussy!"

"Belay that!" exclaimed Cap'n Ira.

But he said it faintly. He was looking at the other girl now, and something in her expression and in her att.i.tude made him lose confidence. His voice died in his throat. Ida May Bostwick had the upper hand at last--and she kept it.

"Look at her," she exulted, the green lights in her brown eyes glinting like the sparkling eyes of a serpent. "Look at her. She knows that I know. She's come down here and fooled you all, but she can't fool you any longer. And that Tunis Latham! Why, it can't be possible he knew what she was from the first!"

"See here," said Cap'n Ira shakily. "What do you mean? What are you getting at--or trying to? If you got anything to say about Ida May, get it out and be over with it."

"Oh, Ira! Don't! Stop her!" wailed Prudence.

Like the old man, Prudence finally realized that there was something wrong--something very wrong, indeed--with the girl they had known for months as Ida May and whom they had learned to love so dearly.

n.o.body looking at Sheila could doubt this for a moment. Her tortured expression of countenance, the wild light in her eyes, her trembling lips, advertised to the beholders that the last bastion of her fortress was taken, that the wall was breached and into that breach now marched the triumphant phrases of the real Ida May's bitter, gloating speech.

"Look at her!" repeated the latter. "She can't deny it now. She knows I know her and what she is. Why, Aunt Prue--and you, Captain Ball--have been fooled nice, I must say. And that Tunis Latham!

Well, he can't be much!"

"Don't--don't say anything against Tunis!"

It was not a voice at all like the usual mellow tones of Sheila Macklin which uttered those faint words. Hoa.r.s.e, strained, uncertain, there was yet a note of command in the phrase which had its influence on the wildly excited Ida May.

"I'll say what I've got to say about _you_, miss!" she exclaimed with exultation. "And you--nor they--shan't stop me. You're the girl that was arrested in the store for stealing. It must have been two--why, it must have been more than three years ago. I hadn't worked there but a little while. No wonder I didn't remember you at first."

Cap'n Ira vented a groan and caught at his wife's hand. She was sobbing frantically. She still murmured her plea for the captain to stop the awful revelation Ida May was bent on making. But the latter gave no heed and the captain himself was speechless.

"And I can't remember her name even now," went on Ida May, flashing a look at the b.a.l.l.s. Their pitiful appearance made no impression upon her. "But that don't matter. I guess they've got your record at Hoskin & Marl's. You worked there all right; sure you worked there, in the jewelry section. You stole something. I saw the store detective, Miss Hopwell, take you up to the manager's office. I never heard what they did to you, but they did a plenty, I bet."

She turned confidently again to the horrified captain and his wife.

"Just see how she looks. She don't deny it. How she managed to work that Tunis Latham into bringing her down here, I don't know. She pulled the wool over his eyes all right.

"Why, she's a thief! She was arrested! I guess you can see now that I'm not crazy--far from it. She won't dare say again that she is Ida May Bostwick. I--guess--not!"

The malevolent exultation of the girl was fearful to behold. But neither Cap'n Ira nor Prudence now looked at Ida May. Leaning against her husband, the tears coursing over her withered cheeks, Prudence joined Cap'n Ira in gazing at the other girl.

She rose slowly to her feet. Something like strength came back to her; even into her voice, as Sheila again spoke. Nor did she look at Ida May, but fixed her feverish gaze upon the two old people.

"What--what she says is true--as far as I am concerned. But--but Tunis did not know. It is not his fault. I was desperate. I heard what he said to--to Miss Bostwick. I chanced to overhear it. I was desperate; I hated the city. I was willing to take a chance for the sake of getting among people who would be kind to me--who were good."

"Bah!" exclaimed Ida May raucously. "You're not fit to go among good people!"

Sheila did not heed her. She spoke slowly--haltingly, but what she said held the old people silent.

"Tunis is not to blame. I told him this--this girl"--she pointed to Ida May, but did not look at her--"was not the right Miss Bostwick.

I said that I was the girl he wanted to see. I made him think so. I tricked him. Don't listen to her!" she added wildly, as the enraged Ida May would have interposed. "Tunis thought she had talked to him just for a joke. I made him believe that. I--I would have done anything then to get away from the city and to come down here.

Perhaps he was at fault because he did not take more time to find out about me--to be sure I was the right girl. But he cannot be blamed for anything else. I tell you, it was all my fault."

"I don't believe it!" snapped Ida May.

But Cap'n Ira put her aside with his hand, and there was returned firmness in his voice.