"No. I have asked him three or four times; he will not say a word about poor dead Frank. And then father told me that because Frank had done something wicked, that I was to give up all thought of marrying Ferdy."
"Did you agree to that?"
"No. I said that Frank's sins should never spoil my life, and father was very angry with me."
"That was perfectly right," said Clarice, heartily, her common sense coming to her aid; "if the sins of the father are visited on the children, that is no reason that the additional burden of a brother's faults should be heaped on a sister's shoulders. You were quite right to stick to Ferdy, my dear. But what caused you to change your mind, Prudence?"
"I was told that my father had murdered Mr. Horran," said the poor girl again, and in the same terrified whisper; "and that if I married Ferdy, information would be given to the police, which would lead to his arrest."
"What a preposterous story," said Clarice, indignantly, "did you believe it, Prudence?"
The girl glanced round again, and seemed to shrink into nothing as she whispered, "Yes!"
Clarice stared at her. "You ought to stick up for your father," said she, with some slang, but with great truth.
"God help me, I wish I could," wailed Prudence, clasping her hands.
Clarice caught one of her hands. "Be more explicit," she said, quickly; "you have told me so much that you must tell me all."