ing becomes
known--and you wish it to be known, of course--"

"Of course!"

"It will be impossible for me to continue holding my present relation to
Northwick."

"Northwick?"

"As president of the Board, I'm _ex officio_ his enemy and persecutor.
It wouldn't be right, it wouldn't be decent, for me to continue that
after it was known that you were going to marry his daughter. It
wouldn't be possible. I must resign, I must withdraw from the Board
altogether. I haven't the stuff in me to do my official duty at such a
cost; so I'd better give up my office, and get rid of my duty."

"That will be a great sacrifice for you, father," said Matt.

"It won't bring me to want, exactly, if you mean money-wise."

"I didn't mean money-wise. But I know you've always enjoyed the position
so much."

Hilary laughed uneasily. "Well, it hasn't been a bed of roses since we
discovered Northwick's obliquities--excuse me!"

Matt blushed. "Oh, I know he's oblique, as such things go."

"In fact," his father resumed, "I shall be glad to be out of it, and I
don't think there'll be much opposition to my going out; I know that
there's a growing feeling against me in the Board. I _have_ tried to
carry water on both shoulders. I've made the effort honestly; but the
effect hasn't been good. I couldn't keep my heart out of it; from the
very first I pitied that poor devil's children so that I got him and
gave him all the chance I could."

"That was perfectly right. It was the only business-like--"

"It wasn't business-like to hope that even if justice were defeated he
might somehow, anyhow, escape the consequences of his crime; and I'm
afraid this is what I've hoped, in spite of myself," said Hilary.

This was so probably true that Matt could not help his father deny it.
He could only say, "I don't believe you've ever allowed that hope to
interfere with the strict performance of your duty, at any moment."

"No; but I've had the hope; and others have had the suspicion that I've
had it. I've felt that; and I'm glad that it's coming to an end. I'm not
ashamed of your choice, Matt; I'm proud of it. The thing gave me a shock
at first, because I had to face the part I must take. But she's all
kinds of a splendid girl. The Board knows what she wished to do, and why
she hasn't done it. No one can help honoring her. And I don't believe
people will think the less of any of us for your wanting to marry her.
But if they do, they may do it, and be da