"And now, you see," said Annie, "why I must be Mrs Null while I stay here.

And you will promise me that you will never tell any one ?" "You may be sure I shall keep your queer secret.

But have you not told it to any one but me ?" "Yes," said Annie, "but I have only told it to one other, Mr Croft.

But please don't speak of it to him." "Mr Croft!" exclaimed Roberta.

"How in the world did you come to tell him?
Do you know him so well as that ?" "Well," said Annie, "it does seem out of the way, I admit, that I should tell him, but I can't give you the whole story of how I came to do it.
It wouldn't interest you--at least, it would, but I oughtn't to tell it.
It is a twisty sort of thing." "Twisty ?" said Roberta, drawing herself up, and a little away from her companion.
Annie looked up, and caught the glance by which this word was accompanied, and the tone in which it was spoken went straight to her soul.