"Your fault? Denis!"

"She wouldn't take the money--" He broke off, checked by her awakened
glance.

"The money? What money?" Her face changed, hardening as his relaxed. "Had
you offered her _money_ to give up the case?"

He stared a moment, and then dismissed the implication with a laugh.

"No--no; after the case was decided against her. She seemed hard up, and I
sent Hinton to her with a cheque."

"And she refused it?"

"Yes."

"What did she say?"

"Oh, I don't know--the usual thing. That she'd only wanted to prove she was
his wife--on the child's account. That she'd never wanted his money. Hinton
said she was very quiet--not in the least excited--but she sent back the
cheque."

Kate sat motionless, her head bent, her hands clasped about her knees. She
no longer looked at Peyton.

"Could there have been a mistake?" she asked slowly.

"A mistake?"