"How?"

"I know not. He had also divined—oh, Roger! I must be very foolish, but he had divined that—that——"

"What, my dear maid?"

"That I love you," and she hid her face on my shoulder again, as though she were ashamed to show her face.

"How think you so?"

"He told me so, and—and I could not deny it."

"No," said I with a glad laugh, "and then?"

"He tried to trade upon my love. He said you were in his power, and that unless I promised him something you should die this very night."

"What was that?"