From the stone chair the girl sprang; looked out. Her face white, excited, peering beneath the delicate spandrils and stone roses, seemed to come as an answer.
"Have I not told you—" began the Governor sternly, when—
"Bah!" burst from the prisoner violently. "Why should I deny what your Excellency so well knows? I told my master not to trust her; that she would play him false; and that once out of his hands—"
"Her? Whom do you mean?" The Governor's eyes followed the man's; stopped. "Elise!"
"I think," her eyes very bright, the girl walked quickly toward them, "I think this man means me."
"Elise!" the Governor repeated.
"Forgive me, mon père; I didn't intend to listen, but I couldn't help it—because—"
"How long," said the Governor, "have you been there?"
"Ever since—he came in. I suppose," proudly turning to the man, "it is useless to say that I did not play this double rôle of which you accuse me, and that I did keep, in every particular, the promise I made—"
"Oh, yes; you could say it, my Lady!" with sneering emphasis.