... Oh, Mr. Durward, I'm so ashamed!"
Then, suddenly, desperately clutching my hand:
"Mr. Durward, you'll never tell any one, any one never.... Promise!"
"Never a soul," I answered. "It's only because you're cold and hungry
and sleepy that you think you're frightened. You're not frightened
really. But wouldn't you like me to wake Trenchard and get him to come
to you.... He'd be so happy?..."
She started fiercely from me. "Never! Never! Why, what _can_ you
think! You must never tell, most of all you must never tell him.... He
must _never_ know--nothing--"
The cannon began again. She caught my arm and stood with her body
trembling, pressed against mine. I could feel her draw a deep breath.
As I looked at her, her face white in the dawn, her large eyes staring
like a child's, her body so young and slender, she seemed another
creature, utterly, absolutely apart from the woman of this last
fortnight.
"Look here!" I said to her sternly. "You mustn't go on like this.
You've got work to do to-day.
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