"You won't tell it to no one that could use it against him, will you?"
"Oh, no!" Marian laughed a short, hard laugh and rose to hide whatever might be seen of her confusion. "Oh, no," she said; "I shan't speak of this to any enemy."
Her movement had seemed to Mary as a sign that the interview was ending, but the laughter chilled her. She also rose, and stood before her hostess.
"You don't know him?" she tremulously inquired.
"I think," said Marian, "that I used to know somebody by some such name, but I do not know him now. He need not disturb himself, and when you see him you need not disturb him by saying that you spoke of this to me."
"Oh, I won't see him," Mary assured her. "It ain't likely I'll ever see see him again."
Marian's eyes searched her, but they detected nothing disingenuous.
"You have quarreled?" she demanded.
"No, only he wanted me to testify against Miss Rose, an' I was too scared. I just hid myself."
There was a simple appeal in the bare words that brought their hearer to her better self. Within her there burned a new and mounting fire, but her face was cool and her actions were reasoned.