"
In wording his phrase he purposely went beyond the warrant, in order to
rouse her to denial, or perhaps to indignation. But she said only:
"Did Drusilla say it was to come to my aid?"
"She didn't say it--exactly. I gathered that it was what she thought."
She astonished him by saying, simply: "I think so, too."
"Extraordinary! Do you mean to say he dropped out of a clear sky?"
"I must answer that by both a yes and a no. He did drop out of a clear
sky just lately; but I'd known him before."
"Ah!" His tone was that of a cross-examiner dragging the truth from an
unwilling witness. He put his questions rapidly and sharply, as though
at a Court-martial. "So you'd known him before! Did you know him
_well?_"
"_I_ didn't think it was well; but apparently he did, because he asked
me to marry him."
Ashley bounded. "Who? That--that cowboy!"
"Yes; if he _is_ a cowboy."
"And you took money from him?"
Her elbows rested on the arm of her chair; the tip of her chin on the
back of her bent fingers. Without taking her eyes from his she inclined
her head slowly in assent.
"That is," he hastened to say, in some compunction, "your father took
it. We must keep the distinction--"
"No; I took it.
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