"But you don't believe her."
"I'm not entitled to an opinion. It's something you and she must work out together. All I can do is to tell you what may give you a little hope."
She watched for the brightening effect of these words upon him, but he sat looking absently at the floor, as if he had not heard them.
"Evie is afraid," she continued, "but I think it's only fair to remember that the circumstances might well frighten any young girl of her sort."
He showed that he followed her by nodding assent, though he neither lifted his head nor spoke.
"She wanted me to tell you that while the—the trial—and other things—are going on, she couldn't be engaged to you—I'm using her own expression, but she didn't say that, when it was all over and you were free, she wouldn't marry you. I noticed that."
He looked up quickly.
"I'm not sure that I catch your drift."
"I mean that when it's all over, and everything has ended as you hope it will, it may be quite possible for you to win her back."
He stared at her, with an incredulous lifting of the eyebrows