That's all, truly. I had no idea that Marie
Gaunt----"
"Did you speak about the convent?"
"I told him and the cure that I'd been brought up at a convent school,
but I didn't say where it was, or anything about it at all. There was no
time or chance then. I meant to tell Vanno lots of things when we were
alone; but there was only our walk down the mountain together, and we
had so much to say to each other about the present and future, I forgot
about the past, and I think he did, too. The only thing I've had time to
say about myself is that I've no relatives except a very disagreeable
aunt and cousin. There was nothing, not a word, that you need be afraid
of."
"Thank God!" exclaimed Marie, with a sigh as of one who wakes to
consciousness free of pain, after an operation which might have opened
the door of death. "And you'll swear to me that never will you tell
Angelo, or Vanno, or any one else at all, that you'll not even confess
to a priest that I was Marie Grant, a girl you knew at the convent of
St. Ursula-of-the-Lake."
"I'll swear it, if that will make you happier."
"It will--it does. Swear that nothing can tempt you to break your word."
"Nothing shall tempt me to break my word."
"Swear by your love for Vanno, and his for you."
"I swear by my love for Vanno and his love for me."
Marie bent down suddenly, seized Mary's hand, and kissed it.
"Thank you," she said. "Now I can be at peace, for a little while. Now I
can be glad that you're engaged to Vanno.
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