e there's hardly a
girl gone wrong in Thorhaven but the man has sworn he wanted to marry
her. It's a trick as common as sin."

"You don't know what you're talking about! You've lived among a low
lot in this terrace until your mind has got poisoned," cried Caroline,
maddened with anger and shame. "You're a wicked woman to have such
horrible thoughts. I'm telling you the truth. May I die to-night if I
aren't!"

"Oh, Carrie!" said Mrs. Creddle, wincing as if she had been struck.
"How can you speak to me like that? I don't doubt you think it is all
true. I don't doubt he said he would throw her over and marry you.
But he didn't mean it. You never suppose he is going to give up Miss
Laura and all that money, to marry a girl that is nobody and has
nothing; I can't believe it! I never should believe it unless I saw
you with his wedding-ring on your finger."

"You can believe or not, as you like," replied Caroline, regaining a
little of her self-control. "At any rate, you must swear to keep it to
yourself, or I will never tell you anything again as long as I live."

"I shan't want to spread such news abroad, you may be sure," said Mrs.
Creddle. "But you must promise me not to trust yourself with him alone
any more, Carrie. You don't know men as I do, and he can't be up to
any good if he talks like that to you."

"Oh, very well," said Caroline, looking out of the window.

"I can see he's got hold of you," said Mrs. Creddle anxiously. "Oh
dear! I don't know what I am to do. I daren't tell your uncle, for
there's no saying what that would lead to. But you must be fond," she
continued, exasperated, "if you think he really wants to make you his
wife. Just fancy your marrying a relation of Miss Ethel's! Why, she'd
fall down dead on the spot!"

"That wouldn't stop me," said Caroline grimly. "Lots of matches far
more unequal than that come off nowadays. But you may make your mind
easy. I aren't going to marry him--and I aren't going to behave in the
way you seem to be afraid of, either. Only I'll just tell you this,
aunt--I can never, never feel the same to you again after what you've
said."

"Well, I can't help it!" answered Mrs. Creddle. "You'll come to thank
me some day, Carrie, and I suppose I shall have to wait for that." All
the same, the good woman's lip was trembling.

But Caroline, angry and dry-eyed, went to the door and called in a
shrill voice: "Winnie! Winnie! Are you ready?"

*