"And that is the reason you have hidden from me all the year and never sent me word?"
"I thought—I thought—" She turned away. "Ben Gillam told monsieur you had left Boston on our account——"
"And you thought I wanted to avoid you——"
"I did not blame you," she said. "Indeed, indeed, I was very weak—monsieur must have bribed Le Borgne—I sent word again and again—but you never answered!"
"How could you misunderstand—O Hortense, after that night in the hunting-room, how could you believe so poorly of me!"
She gave a low laugh. "That's what your good angel used to plead," she said.
"Good angel, indeed!" said I, memory of the vows to that miscreant adventurer fading. "That good angel was a lazy baggage! She should have compelled you to believe!"
"Oh—she did," says Hortense quickly. "The poor thing kept telling me and telling me to trust you till I—"
"Till you what, Hortense?"
She did not answer at once.