"What was the matter? Did you see anything?"
"No, no. I was only thinking; it all came up so real before me—so horrible."
"But it may be made safe yet," urged Elsie. "If you can escape this time—only this once."
She did not connect herself with the trouble which might befall her sister. Even in that moment of anguish, her craft and her selfishness made her remember to keep present in Elizabeth's mind the promise she had made.
"Only this once," she repeated.
"It is too late," returned Elizabeth. "I knew the day would come—it is here!"
"But he can't discover anything, Bessie, when everybody is abed."
"Have you thought what I must do?" she broke in. "The horror of appealing to that man is almost worse to bear than exposure and ruin."
Elsie wrung her hands.
"Don't give way now. You have borne up so long; don't give way when a little courage may save everything."