“Do you find Mr. Winthrop very amiable, in fact would you call him a lady’s man?”

I paused to think carefully what answer I should give.  “If he were a lady’s man, probably before this he would have taken one for a wife.”

“You have only answered half of my question,” she said so gently I could not resent it.

“My guardian is very patient and indulgent with me.  If he were more so I should find it hard to leave him some day.”

“You mean when the day of marriage comes?”

“I have not thought anything of marriage yet.  I mean, not seriously.  Every young girl has her dreams, I suppose; but mine as yet are very vague and unreal.  At twenty-one I am my own mistress.  Then probably my life of ease will come to an end.”

“Ah, you have dreams of a career.  From what my servants tell me I concluded you were not one of our regulation, conventional young ladies.”

My cheeks flushed; for this was a tender place for her to touch.

“Is Mr. Winthrop pleased that you are so thoughtful of the poor, and so generous in your impulses?”

“Really, Mrs. Le Grande, you would make an excellent lawyer.  I do not think I have had so many personal questions since I came to America.  School girls forget themselves sometimes, when they are of a very inquisitive disposition.”

She looked me fully in the eyes as she said:  “You have been wonderfully patient and very circumspect.  I am sure in his heart Mr. Winthrop respects you even if he is at times a trifle cavalier in his behavior.”  Her eyes were still upon me with the innocent, childlike expression on her face I was beginning to understand and fear.  I said very calmly:  “He can be exceedingly fascinating when he chooses, and if he really cared for one, I cannot imagine anything he would hesitate to do for them, provided it was honorable.  I could not conceive him stooping to a mean or unworthy action.”

“Mr. Winthrop will be flattered when I repeat your words.”

“Then you know him?”

“You will think so when you hear my story.”

CHAPTER XXI.

Mrs. Le Grande’s story.

“Did you ever hear that Mr. Winthrop was within one day of being married?”

My surprise at first rendered me speechless; but at last I murmured, “No.”

“Then you have never heard the tragedy of his life.  You have heard that for some reason he was embittered against our sex.”

“A mere hint.”

“So I should judge, or the rest would also have been told.  Your acquaintance have been remarkably guarded.  Well, I will tell you all about it.”

“I do not wish you to tell me.  I think Mr. Winthrop desires I should never know the particulars of that circumstance, else Mrs. Flaxman would have told me.”

“You are very sensitive about your guardian.  Women cannot afford such fine sense of honor.  Men do not treat us in that way.  If they find we have a skeleton concealed somewhere, they will not rest until it is brought out into the glaring light, for every evil eye to gloat on.”