"I don't know," said Roger, turning away his head.
"That's a lie," thought Octavius, as he saw the manner in which Mr. Axton replied to a seemingly simple question. "Queer! Why should he tell me such a useless lie?"
"I don't know anything about the scamp," went on Axton, hurriedly; "but he is the cause of all my unhappiness."
"How so?"
"Because Judith—Miss Varlins—refused to marry me on his account."
"What! she loved him also. Fascinating scamp!"
"I don't know if she loved him exactly," said Axton, in a musing tone. "The reason she gave me for her rejection of my proposal was that she could not leave her cousin Florence; but she seemed strangely moved when she spoke of—of Florry's lover."
"Don't you remember his name?" asked Fanks, noticing the momentary hesitation.
"No, I don't," replied Roger, angrily. "Why do you keep asking me that question?"
"Oh, nothing," said Octavius, quietly; "only I thought that as these two girls had told you so much about themselves, they might have told you more."