Page:Joan, the curate.djvu/66

60 She was taken by surprise, and the look which crossed her candid face betrayed her.

"'Tis in vain for you to deny it, madam," pursued Tregenna, boldly, "for I have proof of what I say."

There was a short pause, and then Joan said steadily—

"I do not deny it."

Certain as he had felt of the truth of his surmise, Tregenna felt that his breath was taken away for a moment by this cool confession. He was shocked, grieved, through all the triumph he felt at having, as he thought, at last run his prey to earth.

"You deny not, madam," he went on, in an altered voice, "that you have beneath your roof a thief, and if not a murderer, at least an associate and accomplice of murderers?"

"A murderer! No, I will not believe that," cried Joan, warmly.

"Well a smuggler, if that name please you better, though in truth there's mighty little difference between them. I am come, then, madam, to see this smuggler, and to endeavor to find out whether he is the man that cruelly