"Upon—my—word!" he ejaculated. "You are cool, Denham!"
"I have at least a right to ask the question."
For a moment Jack was very nearly in a passion, but the anger went down as fast as it had arisen.
"Of course you don't mean—But what in the wide world made you think of such a thing? Polly married! No; nor like to be!"
"I heard that she was engaged."
"To whom?"
"The Admiral's nephew—Peirce."
"Who told you the lie?"
"Then—it was a lie!"
"You might have known it. Who told you?"