," he said.

"Not a bit."

"Well--what complicates the matter is that her father's the most
infernal swine unhung." I started, remembering what Betty had told me.

"I thought," said I, "that you were fast friends."

"Who told you so?" he asked.

"All the birds of Wellingsford."

"I did go to see him now and then," he admitted. "I thought he was much
maligned. A man with sincere opinions, even though they're wrong, is
deserving of some respect, especially when the expression of them
involves considerable courage and sacrifice. I wanted to get to the
bottom of his point of view."

"If you used such a metaphor in the Albemarle," I interrupted, "I'm
afraid you would be sacrificed by your friends."

He had the grace to laugh. "You know what I mean."

"And did you get to the bottom of it?"

"I think so."

"And what did you find?"

"Crass ignorance and malevolent hatred of everyone better born, better
educated, better off, better dressed, better spoken than himself."

"Still," said I, "a human being can have those disabilities and yet not
deserve to be qualified as the most infernal swine unhung."

"That's a different matter," said he, unbuttoning his canvas jacket,
for the morning was warm. "I can talk patiently to a fool--to be able
to do so is an elementary equipment for a life among men and women--"
Why the deuce, thought I, wasn't he expending this precious acquirement
on a platoon of agricultural recruits? The officer who suffers such
gladly has his name inscribed on the Golden Legend (unfortunately
unpublished) of the British Army--"but when it comes," he went on, "to
low-down lying knavery, then I'm done. I don't know how to tackle it.
All I can do is to get out of the knave's way. I've found Gedge to be a
beast, and I'm very honourably in love with Gedge's daughter, and I've
asked her to marry me. I attach some value, Major, to your opinion of
me, and I want you, to know these two facts."

I again expressed my gratification at learning his honourable
intentions towards Phyllis, and I commended his discovery of Gedge's
fundamental turpitude. I cannot say that I was cordial. At this period,
the unmilitary youth of England were not affectionately coddled by
their friends. Still, I was curious to see whether Gedge's depravity
extended beyond a purely political scope. I questioned my young visitor.

"Oh, it's nothing to do with abstract opinions," said he, thinning away
the butt-end of his cigarette. "A