"My dear Violet, the heat has been too much for you. Do you feel better now? Give me your hand," and, with the greatest gentleness, he raised her to a chair.
Violet struggled against the deadly confusion of mind and soul, and smiled faintly, as she said, wearily:
"Yes, it was the heat."
"Let me call Mrs. Mildmay," said the captain.
Violet rose, with difficulty, and stopped him in his assumed eagerness.
"Captain Murpoint," she said, looking at him from the depths of her great, sad eyes, "do not call any one." Then, with a louder tone and a closer scrutiny, she added: "How long have you been here in the room?"
"Some little time," said the captain. "But, pray, let me summon Mrs. Mildmay."
"No," said Violet. "'Some little time.' Tell me, truthfully, please, I implore you—have you heard me—have I said anything on any point that I would not have said had I been conscious?"
"I gathered from what you let slip—a few words, merely—that you had seen and been talking to Mr. Leicester Dodson."
Violet flushed for a moment, then turned deadly pale.