"It's been
almost past endurance. I haven't dared to tell any one, but he had the
cruelty, the meanness, on Hance's trail to threaten that--"
At that point the walkers turned the corner again, and I could not
hear the rest of the sentence. But I had heard more than enough to
make me grow hot with mortification, even while I could hardly believe
I had understood aright. Madge had been so kind to me lately that I
couldn't think she had been feeling as bitterly as she spoke. That
such an apparently frank girl was a consummate actress wasn't to be
thought, and yet--I remembered how well she had played her part on
Hance's trail; but even that wouldn't convince me. Proof of her
duplicity came quickly enough, for, while I was still thinking, the
walkers were round again, and Lord Ralles was saying--
"Why haven't you complained to your father or brothers?"
"Because I knew they would resent his conduct to me, and--"
"Of course they would," cried her companion, interrupting. "But why
should you object to that?"
"Because of the letters," explained Madge. "Don't you see that if we
made him angry he would betray us to Mr. Camp, and--"
Then they passed out of hearing, leaving me almost desperate, both at
being an eavesdropper to such a conversation, and that Madge could
think so meanly of me. To say it, too, to Lord Ralles made it cut all
the deeper, as any fellow who had been in love will understand.
Round they came again in a moment, and I braced myself for the lash
of the whip that I felt was coming.
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