She shook her head sadly, and, sighing deeply, answered:—
“I cannot tell you.”
“You mean that you refuse?”
“I refuse because I am not permitted, and further, I—”
“You what?”
“I should be revealing to you his secret.”
“And what of that?”
“If you knew everything, you would certainly go to the police and tell them the truth. They would arrest him, and I—I should die.”
“Die? What do you mean?” I asked quickly.
“I could not live to face the exposure and the shame. He would seek to revenge himself by making counter-charges against me—a terrible allegation—but—but before he could do so they would find me dead.”