Miss Worth lifted her head, and wiped away her tears.
"Thank you, for withdrawing that question," she said in a broken voice, "I cannot answer it; but—but this much I will tell you in the strictest confidence. I have known him in other days, and he is not what he professes to be; and it would be ruin, ruin to her!"
"Is that so?" Mildred said, with a startled look. "Then surely you will warn her?"
"I have done so, Miss Keith, though it was like drawing my eye teeth to do it; but my sacrifice was unappreciated, my motives were misconstrued; I was treated with scorn and contempt, and have said to myself, 'I have a just right to be angry and indignant, and shall leave her to her fate.'"
"But you will tell my uncle? He might be able to prevent the mischief by setting a watch upon them, and forbidding the man the house."
"No, no, I cannot betray him!" cried Miss Worth in a startled, terrified tone, "and you—you will respect my confidence, Miss Keith?"
"Certainly; but—surely you will not suffer Juliet to be sacrificed?"
"I have warned her," returned the governess, coldly, "and since she refuses to heed, on her own head be the consequences."
It was Mildred's turn to be troubled and perplexed. She stood for a moment in anxious thought.