the less fortunate of his fellow countrymen are at present compelled to exist.  That seems to me to be an object well worth having.  He has asked me to share his life-work, and I have told him that I will; when, and where, and how, he wants me to.  And I will.  I do not suppose his life has been free from peccadilloes.  I have no delusion on the point.  What man’s life has?  Who among men can claim to be without sin?  Even the members of our highest families sometimes hide behind screens.  But I know that he is, at least, as good a man as I ever met, I am persuaded that I shall never meet a better; and I thank God that I have found favour in his eyes.—­Good-bye, Sydney.—­I suppose I shall see you again, papa.’

With the merest inclination of her head to both of us she straightway left the room.  Lindon would have stopped her.

‘S-stay, y-y-y-you—­’ he stuttered.

But I caught him by the arm.

’If you will be advised by me, you will let her go.  No good purpose will be served by a multiplication of words.’

’Atherton, I—­I’m disappointed in you.  You—­you haven’t behaved as I expected.  I—­I haven’t received from you the assistance which I looked for.’

’My dear Lindon, it seems to me that your method of diverting the young lady from the path which she has set herself to tread is calculated to send her furiously along it.’

’C-confound the women! c-confound the women!  I don’t mind telling you, in c-confidence, that at—­at times, her mother was the devil, and I’ll be—­I’ll be hanged if her daughter isn’t worse.—­What was the tomfoolery she was talking to you about?  Is she mad?’

‘No,—­I don’t think she’s mad.’

’I never heard such stuff, it made my blood run cold to hear her.  What’s the matter with the girl?’

’Well,—­you must excuse my saying that I don’t fancy you quite understand women.’

‘I—­I don’t,—­and I—­I—­I don’t want to either.’

I hesitated; then resolved on a taradiddle,—­in Marjorie’s interest.

’Marjorie is high-strung,—­extremely sensitive.  Her imagination is quickly aflame.  Perhaps, last night, you drove her as far as was safe.  You heard for yourself how, in consequence, she suffered.  You don’t want people to say you have driven her into a lunatic asylum.’

’I—­good heavens, no!  I—­I’ll send for the doctor directly I get home,—­I—­I’ll have the best opinion in town.’

’You’ll do nothing of the kind,—­you’ll only make her worse.  What you have to do is to be patient with her, and let her have peace.  —­As for this affair of Lessingham’s, I have a suspicion that it may not be all such plain sailing as she supposes.’

‘What do you mean?’

’I mean nothing.  I only wish you to understand that until you hear from me again you had better let matters slide.  Give the girl her head.’