Part 51 (2/2)
”I--don't--want to; but--Ito fetch the sailors here, perhaps to seize--Oh, what shall I do?”
There was a pause before the prisoner spoke again
”Look here,” he said; ”I don't want to tell about your father being lers”
”You must not--you dare not!” cried Celia
There was another pause, and then the prisoner's voice caht to know it's my duty, and that I was sent ashore to find this out--I say”
”Yes”
”Did you knoas shut up like this by those beasts?”
”Oh, no, no, no!”
”Your father did He had et into trouble”
”Indeed no! He would not do so wicked a thing”
”But he is a sler”
”It is not true!” cried Celia passionately; ”and if you dare to say such things of o away and never help you”
”I can't help saying it,” said Archy sturdily ”I'd give anything to get out of this dreadful dark place; but I must speak”
”Not of him”
”I don't want to speak of him,” said Archy, ”but what can I do? I s there in the cellar that night when you found me in that room--out of uniform”
”Ah!” ejaculated Celia
”I know it's hard on you, but I've been here a prisoner ever since, and it's enough to break one's heart”
The poor fellow's voice changed a little as he spoke, and he would have given way if he had seen Celia's head bowed down, and that she was crying bitterly
”You will send for help?”
”I cannot,” sobbed the girl, ”unless you will promise not to tell”