“Nothing so well as that I want to serve you, and you may trust me.”
“What do you mean to do?”
“My best to help you and your brother.”
“But to what end?”
“To any end that is right.”
“But how? What would you tell him to do?”
“You must help me to discover what he ought to do.”
“Not—” she cried, clasping her hands and dropping on her knees before him, “—you WILL not tell him to give himself up? Promise me you will not, and I will tell you everything. He shall do anything you please but that! Anything but that!”
Wingfold’s heart was sore at sight of her agony. He would have raised her with soothing words of sympathy and assurance, but still she cried, “Promise me you will not make him give himself up.”
“I dare not promise anything.” he said. “I MUST do what I may see to be right. Believe me, I have no wish to force myself into your confidence, but you have let me see that you are in great trouble and in need of help, and I should be unfaithful to my calling if I did not do my best to make you trust me.”