"She saw them bring Mr. Vavasour into the hall, and—"
"How could she tell it was him?" he asked, suspiciously, with a half-doubt on his mind.
"I do not ask you to believe me," replied Frances haughtily, "you asked me to answer you, and I have done so."
"Not my last question."
"I should have thought a lady's word would have been sufficient; but as it is not so, you had better ask Joe, that man that comes here sometimes with Grant. I heard him tell Miss Neville it was Mr. Vavasour that had been killed, and then—"
"Then?" he asked.
"She fainted."
Whatever Charles thought, he said not a word; a determined, despairing expression stole over his face; he looked hard at Frances as if he would read her very soul, but she returned his look, and flinched not. Presently a faint colour returned into Amy's face; he moved away, placed the glass he still held on the table, and said slowly, for even the tone of his voice had altered, and was unsteady and husky,
"Tell her he is not dead,—not much hurt, even—"