"I WAS THINKING—COUSIN."
The pause before the use of the word and the emphasis upon it told me she had more than her usual meaning.
"I can guess your thought, I believe," I said.
"Well?"
"You were wondering whether you are right still to call me cousin."
"I don't believe what they told me," she replied quickly, for I had guessed her thought.
"What did they tell you? No; I won't ask that either. I will tell you freely all that has to be told."
I paused an instant, and suddenly the clean, clear moonlight which flooded everything so brilliantly seemed to turn chill and fear-laden for me.