"You know "

"I do not," I interrupted in turn. "I have only
a vague guess; I may be altogether mistaken."

"What is it that you guess?" he demanded
abruptly. "Who made her suffer.'*"

"I think it was her husband," I said, with a lack
of discretion for which I was instantly sorry, fearing
with reason that I had added a final blunder to the
long list of the afternoon. "That is," I added,
"if my guess is right."

He stopped short in the road, detaining me by
the arm, the question coming like a whip-cradt:
sharp, loud, violent.
"Is he aHve?"

"I don't know," I answered, begianiiig to move
forward; "and this is foolish talk — especially on my
part!"



CHAPTER NINE 121

"But I want to know," he persisted, again detain-
ing me.
"And I don't know!" I returned emphatically.
