umours and common talk," said Mrs. Folliot in her loftiest manner. "If
we are, unfortunately, talked about, then it is our solemn, bounden duty
to put ourselves right in the eyes of our friends--and of society. If
I for instance, my dear, heard anything affecting my--let me say,
moral-character, I should take steps, the most stringent, drastic, and
forceful steps, to put matters to the test. I would not remain under a
stigma--no, not for one minute!"

"I hope you will never have occasion to rehabilitate your moral
character, Mrs. Folliot," remarked Mary, bending closely over her work.
"Such a necessity would indeed be dreadful."

"And yet you do not insist--yes, insist!--on Dr. Ransford's taking
strong steps to clear himself!" exclaimed Mrs. Folliot. "Now that,
indeed, is a dreadful necessity!"

"Dr. Ransford," answered Mary, "is quite able to defend and to take care
of himself. It is not for me to tell him what to do, or even to advise
him what to do. And--since you will talk of this matter, I tell you
frankly, Mrs. Folliot, that I don't believe any decent person in
Wrychester has the least suspicion or doubt of Dr. Ransford. His denial
of any share or complicity in those sad affairs--the mere idea of it as
ridiculous as it's wicked--was quite sufficient. You know very well that
at that second inquest he said--on oath, too--that he knew nothing of
these affairs. I repeat, there isn't a decent soul in the city doubts
that!"

"Oh, but you're quite wrong!" said Mrs. Folliot, hurriedly. "Quite
wrong, I assure you, my dear. Of course, everybody knows what Dr.
Ransford said--very excitedly, poor man, I'm given to understand on the
occasion you refer to, but then, what else could he have said in his own
interest? What people want is the proof of his innocence. I could--but I
won't--tell you of many of the very best people who are--well, very much
exercised over the matter--I could indeed!"

"Do you count yourself among them?" asked Mary in a cold fashion
which would have been a warning to any one but her visitor. "Am I to
understand that, Mrs. Folliot?"

"Certainly not, my dear," answered Mrs. Folliot promptly. "Otherwise I
should not have done what I have done towards establishing the foolish
man's innocence!"

Mary dropped her work and turned a pair of astonished eyes on Mrs.
Folliot's large countenance.

"You!" she exclaimed. "To establish--Dr. Ransford's innocence? Why, Mrs.
Folliot, what have you done?"

Mrs.