‘She did not name your name,’ said Mr. Gibson.  ’At the time I believe she thought she had concealed it—­but there was no mistaking who it was.’

‘Why did she speak about it at all?’ said Cynthia, with some bitterness.  Her tone—­her question stirred up Mr. Gibson’s passion.

’It was necessary for her to justify herself to me—­I heard my daughter’s reputation attacked for the private meetings she had given to Mr. Preston—­I came to her for an explanation.  There is no need to be ungenerous, Cynthia, because you have been a flirt and a jilt even to the degree of dragging Molly’s name down into the same mire.’

Cynthia lifted her bowed-down head, and looked at him.

’You say that of me, Mr. Gibson.  Not knowing what the circumstances are, you say that!’

He had spoken too strongly:  he knew it.  But he could not bring himself to own it just at that moment.  The thought of his sweet innocent Molly, who had borne so much patiently, prevented any retractation of his words at the time.

‘Yes!’ he said, ’I do say it.  You cannot tell what evil constructions are put upon actions ever so slightly beyond the bounds of maidenly propriety.  I do say that Molly has had a great deal to bear, in consequence of this clandestine engagement of yours, Cynthia—­there may be extenuating circumstances, I acknowledge—­but you will need to remember them all to excuse your conduct to Roger Hamley, when he comes home.  I asked you to tell me the full truth, in order that until he comes, and has a legal right to protect you, I may do so.’  No answer.  ‘It certainly requires explanation,’ continued he.  ’Here are you,—­ engaged to two men at once to all appearances!’ Still no answer.  ’To be sure, the gossips of the town have not yet picked out the fact of Roger Hamley’s being your accepted lover; but scandal has been resting on Molly, and ought to have rested on you, Cynthia—­for a concealed engagement to Mr. Preston—­necessitating meetings in all sorts of places unknown to your friends.’

‘Papa,’ said Molly, ’if you knew all you would not speak so to Cynthia.  I wish she would tell you herself all that she has told me.’

‘I am ready to hear whatever she has to say,’ said he.  But Cynthia said,—­

’No! you have prejudged me; you have spoken to me as you had no right to speak.  I refuse to give you my confidence, or accept your help.  People are very cruel to me’—­her voice trembled for a moment,—­’I did not think you would have been.  But I can bear it.’

And then, in spite of Molly, who would have detained her by force, she tore herself away, and hastily left the room.

‘Oh, papa!’ said Molly, crying, and clinging to him, ’do let me tell you all.’  And then she suddenly recollected the awkwardness of telling some of the details of the story before Mrs. Gibson, and stopped short.

’I think, Mr. Gibson, you have been very very unkind to my poor fatherless child,’ said Mrs. Gibson, emerging from behind her pocket-handkerchief.  ’I only wish her poor father had been alive, and all this would never have happened.’