"How am I living?" she replied, raising innocent eyes to his face. "I do not quite understand what you mean."
"I mean precisely what I say. With whom are you living, and what are you doing for a livelihood?"
"What a strange question, Earle. I told you; I am governess to some little children."
"You swear that before Heaven?"
"Before anything or any one you like," she replied, indifferently, smiling the while to herself.
CHAPTER XLII.
"THIS IS YOUR REVENGE—TO HUMILIATE ME."
"I am bound to believe you," he said, "although my faith in you has been terribly shaken. I ask you because I heard that you passed here as a married lady. Is that true?"
A keen observer might have noticed that her face grew pale—that she trembled and seemed for one moment uncertain.
"Is it true?" repeated Earle.