"Oh, papa!" said Molly, shocked.
"I've no time to go into the question," Mr. Gibson continued. "And until you know what has to be said on both sides and in every instance, you are not qualified to judge. We must keep our attention on the duties in hand now. You sleep here for the remainder of the night, which is more than half-gone already?"
"Yes."
"Promise me to go to bed just as usual. You may not think it, but most likely you'll go to sleep at once. People do at your age."
"Papa, I think I ought to tell you something. I know a great secret of Osborne's, which I promised solemnly not to tell; but the last time I saw him I think he must have been afraid of something like this." A fit of sobbing came upon her, which her father was afraid would end in hysterics. But suddenly she mastered herself, and looked up into his anxious face, and smiled to reassure him.
"I could not help it, papa!"
"No. I know. Go on with what you were saying. You ought to be in bed; but if you've a secret on your mind you won't sleep."
"Osborne was married," said she, fixing her eyes on her father. "That is the secret."
"Married! Nonsense. What makes you think so?"
"He told me. That's to say, I was in the library—was reading there, some time ago; and Roger came and spoke to Osborne about his wife. Roger did not see me, but Osborne did. They made me promise secrecy. I don't think I did wrong."