"They're coming this way, aren't they?" she asked.
"They seem to be," replied Thorne. "One of them looks like the corporal, and I shouldn't wonder if he wanted a word with me."
He saw the girl's slight start, but was not greatly flattered, as he could not be sure whether it resulted from concern on his behalf or mere annoyance. He knew what she thought of Winthrop.
"There's no cause for alarm," he added with a laugh. "I haven't done anything particularly unlawful for some time."
He had half expected Alison to explain that she was not alarmed at all, but she disappointed him, and he wondered whether there was any significance in this. He had already discovered that she did not invariably reveal exactly what she felt.
"It probably concerns Winthrop. I don't think I told you that they almost caught him a little while ago, though he got away again."
"You didn't. Was that because you were afraid you could not trust me?"
A tinge of deeper color crept into her companion's face, and she decided rightly that this was due to displeasure. In the encounters which were not altogether infrequent between them she now and then delivered a galling thrust, but this, he thought, was striking below the guard.
"It wouldn't have been unnatural if you had considered it wiser to be reticent. What happened on the last occasion would have justified it."
"If you are referring to Nevis's visit to Mrs. Calvert, I should be quite willing to leave you to outwit him again. The way you secured the letter was masterly. Still, in view of the opinions you expressed about Winthrop, I don't understand why you did it, and, so far as I can remember, you haven't explained the thing."
"I meant his visit to the Farquhar homestead when I told him about Lucy; but I'll try to answer you. For one reason, I wanted to make amends for my previous--rashness."
Alison paused at the word, as she remembered that Lucy had suggested that what she now termed rashness was jealousy.
"Well," laughed Thorne, "you were certainly rash, but I feel inclined to wonder whether you were anything else. Your hesitation just now was--significant."
Alison recognized that she had a quick-witted antagonist.
"I believe I have already admitted that I was prejudiced against Winthrop."