I've got your promise, and
I propose to hold you to it."
"But it is not that," she protested. "I--I am not in love with
Lieutenant Galesworth."
"So that is the fellow's name, is it--Galesworth," sneeringly. "I
thought you pretended before you did not know."
She remained silent, confused.
"I'm glad to know who he is; some day we may have a settlement. Well,
all I know about the affair is this, but that's enough--you rode with
him all one night, hid him all the next day, and then helped him escape.
You lied to me repeatedly, and now you want to break away from me at the
last minute. It's either this Galesworth or somebody else--now who
is it?"
Billie sank back into a chair, but with her eyes still on the man's
face.
"It is no--one," she said wearily. "It is not that at all; I--I simply
do not care for you in that way any longer."
"Poof! do you mean you won't keep your word?"
"I mean I want to be released--at least a postponement until I can be
sure of myself."
"And I refuse--refuse, do you understand that? You either marry me
to-night or I go to your father with the whole story. He'll be pleased
to learn of your affair with a Yankee spy, no doubt, and of how you
helped the fellow through our lines. And I've got the proofs too.
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