, terrible as it was, to find myself. If it were
thirty years ago, before people began to be liberal in such matters, I
shudder to think what might have become of me. I should now be one
of those terrible women between fifty and sixty who have tried one
frivolity and excess after another--but I'm not coming to that! And my
friends have really been awfully kind, and supported me--even Victor's
family. Don't, don't think that I'm not respectable! I know how you look
at such things.'" Mrs. Constable closed the letter abruptly.

"I did look at such things in that way," she added, "but I've changed.
That letter helped to change me, and the fact that it was Gertrude
who had been through this. If you only knew Gertrude, Mr. Hodder, you
couldn't possibly think of her as anything but sweet and pure."

Although the extent of Hodder's acquaintance with Mrs. Warren had been
but five minutes, the letter had surprisingly retouched to something
like brilliancy her faded portrait, the glow in her cheeks, the iris
blue in her eyes. He recalled the little shock he had experienced
when told that she was divorced, for her appeal had lain in her very
freshness, her frank and confiding manner. She was one of those
women who seem to say, "Here I am, you can't but like me:" And he had
responded--he remembered that--he had liked her. And now her letter,
despite his resistance, had made its appeal, so genuinely human was it,
so honest, although it expressed a philosophy he abhorred.

Mrs. Constable was watching him mutely, striving to read in his grave
eyes the effect of her pleadings.

"You are telling me this, Mrs. Constable--why?" he asked.

"Because I wished you to know the exact situation before I asked you, as
a great favour to me, to Mr. Constable, to--to marry her in St.
John's. Of course," she went on, controlling her rising agitation,
and anticipating a sign of protest, "we shouldn't expect to have any
people,---and Gertrude wasn't married in St. John's before; that wedding
was at Passumset our seashore place. Oh, Mr. Hodder, before you answer,
think of our feelings, Mr. Constable's and mine! If you could see Mr.
Constable, you would know how he suffers--this thing has upset him more
than the divorce. His family have such pride. I am so worried about him,
and he doesn't eat anything and looks so haggard. I told him I would see
you and explain and that seemed to comfort him a little. She is, after
all, our child, and we don't want t