“There was a time when I believed you,” said Ross.
“That was when I had a right to ask. Then you would have believed me against the world.”
“Yes, I would have believed you against the whole world.”
“But now——”
“Now I believe nothing, without proof.”
“But I will believe you, asking no better proof than your bare word.”
“In what?”
The woman hesitated. In her first passion she had thought it an easy thing to question him; but his chilling calm daunted her.
“Herman, tell me, and, oh! let it be truth! Do you love that girl?”
The woman clasped her hands, and wrung them together as she spoke. Ross looked at her a moment in grave silence.