_She_ tell?
Might the tongue of her wither between her teeth before it let slip a word, and so on.

Captain Elisha waved her to silence.
"All right! all right!" he exclaimed.

"So long! Take good care of your husband, and, and--for Heaven's sake, walk careful and don't step on any of the children." Mrs.Moriarty's tongue did not wither; at all events, it was lively enough when he next met her.

The captain's secret was not divulged, and he continued his visits to the flat, taking care, however, to ascertain his niece's whereabouts beforehand.

It was not altogether a desire to avoid making his charitable deeds public which influenced him.