"He'd be a cur if he asked you to marry him?" she asked, with knitted brows.
"Yes. Because he's a highwayman."
"A highwayman! Then 'twas true what he said? Well, well! I should never have thought it! That nice boy!"
Diana disengaged herself; in her eyes was a threatening gleam.
"Don't dare say a word against him!"
"No, no—of course not! I was only surprised. But I am thankfully glad he did not ask you, for all that!"
"Glad? How can you be so cruel?"
"My dear, you could not possibly marry—a—a—"
"Common felon!" sobbed Diana. "I can—I can!"
"And heaven alone knows what else he may have done! Why, child, he said himself that he had a—a spotty past!"