Then he turned back and looked at the girl.

Her face was a little pale, he thought, but perfectly composed.
"I don't know Bill Gregg," she said simply.

"Of course, I'm glad to talk to you, Mr.Doone, but why not here ?" John Mark covered a smile of satisfaction, and the girl looked at him, apparently to see if she had spoken correctly.

It was obvious that the leader was pleased, and she glanced back at Ronicky, with a flush of pleasure.
"I'll tell you why I can't talk to you in here," said Ronicky gently.
"Because, while you're under the same roof with this gent with the sneer"-- he turned and indicated Mark, sneering himself as he did so--"you're not yourself.

You don't have a halfway chance to think for yourself.