"Is that not true?" She looked at me in troubled silence. "Did not Lady Johnson's brother come here in secret to give her news, and take as much away?" She did not answer. "Once," said I, "although I had not asked, you told me that you were a friend to liberty." "And am so," said she. "And have a Tory lover." At that her face flamed and her wool dropped into her lap. She did not look at me but sat with gaze ahead of her as though considering. At last: "Do you mean Captain Watts?" she asked. "Yes, I mean him." "He is not my lover." "I ask your pardon. The inference was as natural as my error." "Sir?" "Appearances," said I, "are proverbially deceitful. Instead of saying 'your lover,' I should, perhaps, have said '_one_ of your lovers.' And so again ask pardon." "Are you my lover, sir?" "I?" said I, taken aback at the direct shot so unexpected. "Yes, you, my lord. Are you one of my lovers?" "I think not. Why do you ask me that which never could be a question that yes or no need answer?" "I thought perhaps you might deem yourself my lover." "Why?" "Because you kissed me once,--as did Captain Watts.... And two other gentlemen." "Two other gentlemen?" "Yes, sir. A cornet of horse,--his name escapes me--and Sir John." "Who!" I blurted angrily. "Sir John Johnson." "The dissolute beast!" said I. "Had I known it that night at Johnson Hall----" But here I checked my speech and waited till the hot blood in my face was done burning. And when again I was cool: "I am sorry for my heat," said I. "Your conduct is your own affair." "You once made it yours, sir,--for a moment." Again I went hot and red; and how I had conducted with this maid plagued me so that I found no word to answer. She knitted for a little while. Then, lifting her dark young eyes: "You have as secure a title to be my lover as has any man, Mr. Drogue. Which is no title at all." "Steve Watts took you in his arms near the lilacs." "What was that to you, Mr. Drogue?" "He was a spy in our uniform and in our camp!" "Yes, sir." "And you gave him your lips." "He took what he took. I gave only what was in my heart to give to any friend in peril." "What was that?" "Solicitude." "Oh. You warned him to leave? And he an enemy and a spy?" "I begged him to go, Mr. Drogue." "Do you still call yourself a friend to liberty?" I asked angrily. "Yes, sir. But I was his friend too. I did not know he had come here. And when by accident I recognized him I was frightened, because I thought he had come to carry news to Lady Johnson." "And so he did! Did he not?" "He said he came for me." "To visit you?" "Yes, sir. And I think that was true. For when he made himself known to his sister, she came near to fainting; and so he spoke no more to her at all but begged me for a tryst before he left." "Oh. And you granted it?" "Yes, sir." "Why?" "I was in great fright, fearing he might be taken.... Also I pitied him." "Why so?" I sneered.