"No, no! Lady Burville has nothing to do with my secret."
"Will you deny that her name was mentioned several times between you and Mr. Edermont?"
"No, I will not deny it," he returned doggedly. "All the same, she has nothing to do with the matter."
"So you say, for the preservation of your secret," said Dora disdainfully; "but I believe that she has everything to do with the matter. And what is more," continued the girl, raising her voice, "I feel assured that indirectly she caused the death of my guardian."
Allen turned even paler than before.
"I assure you such is not the case, Dora."
"I decline to take your word for it. I will only believe the evidence of my own senses, of my own researches."
"Your own researches?"
"Yes; I intend to find out this secret which is a bar to our marriage. To do so I must solve the mystery of Mr. Edermont's death."
"I warn you not to do so;" cried Allen, breathing heavily; "you are playing with fire!"