you're a good-looking girl, though you're but a little one."

"What do you want with Sergeant Spence?" asked Penny, as her courage
began to return. Why should she fear this coarse, black-eyed woman. She
could have nothing in common with Arthur. But why should she seek him
thus openly in his own dwelling? Her fears began to return.

The strange visitor advanced across the threshold; Penny retreated before
her. The color deepened in her already florid face as the woman cried
fiercely:

"What do I want with him? I mean to force him to take me back to my
rightful place, that's what I want with him!"

Her voice, raised angrily, awoke the child, who gave a shrill cry of
fright. The woman stared at the cot in astonishment. Penny stooped and
lifted the little one, and faced the stranger once more as she pressed
the child to her bosom.

"Is that your baby?" the woman almost whispered, as she caught the gleam
of Penny's wedding ring. Then she cried wrathfully:

"What! Has he dared to marry you? Oh, the treacherous villain! Surely
you're not Arthur Spence's wife!"

In spite of the fear that fell upon her, Penny grew at once strangely
calm. This must be some disreputable relative of her husband's--though
she had thought him alone in the world. He was an orphan. This could
not be Arthur's mother! He could have nothing in common with a woman so
low as this! It was some bold, bad creature trying to frighten her.