Page:The Reverberator (2nd edition, American issue, London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1888).djvu/198

188 said to her, slowly, holding her hand (before this he had pressed his lips to hers, silently), "Is it true, Francie, what they say (and they swear to it!) that you told that blackguard those horrors—that that infamous letter is only a report of your talk?"

"I told him everything—it's all me, me, ME!" the girl replied, exaltedly, without pretending to hesitate an instant as to what he might mean.

Gaston looked at her with deep eyes; then he walked straight away to the window and remained there in silence. Francie said nothing more. At last the young man went on, "And I who insisted to them that there was no natural delicacy like yours!"

"Well, you'll never need to insist about anything any more!" she cried. And with this she dashed out of the room by the nearest door. When Delia and Mr. Dosson returned the red salon was empty and Francie was again locked into her room. But this time her sister forced an entrance.