"And the pity was to give you this weapon; and the duty was my duty to
my father's house."

"It is true," he repeated, dejectedly.

"And you lied to me when you said you had a rifle with which to
journey _la Longue Traverse_."

"That too is true," he acknowledged.

When next she spoke her voice was not quite so well controlled.

"Why did you not ask me, as you intended? Why did you tell me these
lies?"

The young man hesitated, looked her in the face, turned away, and
murmured,

"I could not."

"Why?" persisted the girl. "Why? You must tell me."

"Because," said Ned Trent--"because it could not be done. Every rifle
in the place is known. Because you would be found out in this, and I
do not know what your punishment might not be."

"You knew this before?" insisted Virginia, stonily.

"Yes."