"Ah, ha! Oh, ho! That wakes you up, does it? I thought so. Nothing like a swoop of spite to bring a girl out of cover."
"I do not understand you," said Ruth, flashing out upon her tormentor with sudden spirit. "What have I to do with anything you are talking about?"
"The other lass, you mean. Not much, of course. It isn't likely he put her in your way."
A burst of indignation, perhaps of something more stinging than that, filled the splendid eyes with fire that Ruth fixed upon her tormentor.
"Do you know—can you even guess that it is my—my—!"
The girl broke her imprudent speech off with a thrill of warning that left the prints of her white teeth on the burning lips which had almost betrayed her. In her terror the insult that followed was almost a relief.
"Sweetheart!" sneered the young man.
She did not heed the word or sneer; both were a proof that her secret was safe as yet.
"One up at the house, one here, and another—well, no matter about her. You understand?"
"You slander an honorable gentleman," said Ruth, controlling herself with a great effort.