The girl gave a start. "What do you mean?" she cried.
"I mean just what I say," he answered. "We've got to part." And then seeing the ghastly pallor that came over her, he drew her to him and went and sat down on the sofa. "Listen to me, Mary," he said more gently; "you're a good girl, and I have no fear to tell you the whole truth. I know that you have nothing to do with it; but I've gotten into serious trouble, and there is only one way in the world to save myself."
"What do you mean, Jim?" she panted. (Jim was the name she had been taught to call him.)
"Mary," said he, "you know that I'm a married man, don't you?"
"Yes," she said, "but what—"
"And that I'm a very rich man? Well, Mrs. Lynch has set to work to blackmail me."
The girl shrunk back. "You—what!" she panted.
"It's true," said he; "I've had to pay her several thousand dollars already."
"Good heavens!" cried the girl. "It can't be so!"
"It is," replied he. "And it means only one thing,—that we've got to part forever."