"I could not do _that_," she said, "if I were guilty."
Neither had Harry refrained from lifting up his testimony against what
he saw and suspected. The major would take more from him than from any
man alive; he was not at all incensed at the interference.
"My dear Hal," he said, "don't make an old woman of yourself by giving
credit to scandal, or inventing it for yourself. If you choose to be
worried before your time, I can't help it; but it is more than
unnecessary. Una can take care of herself perfectly well, without your
playing the lion. Besides--what is the brother there for? You know there
are some subjects I never talk about to you, and you don't deserve that
I should be communicative now. But listen--you shall not think of Cecil
worse than she is: up to this time, I swear, even her lips are pure from
me. Now I hope you are satisfied; you have made me break my rule, for
once; drop the subject, in the devil's name."
Though fully aware of his friend's unscrupulous character, Harry was
satisfied that nothing _very_ wrong had occurred so far. Royston never
lied.
"I'm glad that you can say so much," he replied; "the worst of it is,
people will talk.
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