"Ellen!" he exclaimed, starting back in surprise.
She murmured a Christian name—but it was not George.
"Call me not that, Ellen!" cried Greenwood, fiercely: "the time is not come! But tell me," he added, speaking thickly, and at the same instant casting upon her a glance which seemed to pierce her inmost soul,—"tell me—were you here—in this room—when I came in?"
"I was," answered Ellen, gazing, in her turn, fixedly upon him.
"And you heard——"
"I heard every word you uttered," continued Miss Monroe, keeping her eyes still bent upon him.
"Ah! then you know——"
"That you have committed forgery," added Ellen, in an emphatic tone; "and that you are ruined!"
"Damnation!" ejaculated Greenwood. "What did you come for? why are you here? To gloat over my falling fortunes—to make yourself merry at my ruin—to taunt me with the past—to laugh at me in my adversity—to——"
"Then it is true," thought Ellen, within herself: "these bills are forgeries—and he is in my power.—No," she exclaimed aloud; "such was not my object."