and plain-spoken woman, cousin Mary,' said
Everard, laughing a little. 'Couldn't you have found some other
example?'

There was no reply.

'So,' he proceeded, 'Miss Nunn regards me as a proved scoundrel?'

'I never told her the story. I made known the general grounds of my
dissatisfaction with you, that was all.'

'Come, that's something. I'm glad you didn't amuse her with that
unedifying bit of fiction.'

'Fiction?'

'Yes, fiction,' said Everard bluntly. 'I am not going into details; the
thing's over and done with, and I chose my course at the time. But it's
as well to let you know that my behaviour was grossly misrepresented.
In using me to point a moral you were grievously astray. I shall say no
more. Ii you can believe me, do; if you can't, dismiss the matter from
your mind.'

There followed a silence of some moments. Then, with a perfectly calm
manner, Miss Barfoot began to speak of a new subject. Everard followed
her lead. He did not stay much longer, and on leaving asked to be
remembered to Miss Nunn.

A week later he again found his cousin alone. He now felt sure that
Miss Nunn was keeping out of his way. Her parting from him in the
gardens had been decidedly abrupt, and possibly it signified more
serious offence than at the time he attributed to her. It was so
difficult to be sure of anything in regard to Miss Nunn. If another
woman had acted thus he would have judged it coquetry. But perhaps
Rhoda was quite incapable of anything of that kind. Perhaps she took
herself so very seriously that the mere suspicion of banter in his talk
had moved her to grave resentment. Or again, she might be half ashamed
to meet him after confessing her disagreement with Miss Barfoot; on
recovery from ill-temper (unmistakable ill-temper it was), she had seen
her behaviour in an embarrassing light. Between these various
conjectures he wavered whilst talking with Mary. But he did not so much
as mention Miss Nunn's name.

Some ten days went by, and he paid a call at the hour sanctioned by
society, five in the afternoon; it being Saturday. One of his reasons
for coming at this time was the hope that he might meet other callers,
for he felt curious to see what sort of people visited the house. And
this wish was gratified. On entering the drawing-room, whither he was
led by the servant straightway, after the manner of the world, he found
not only his cousin and her friend, but two strangers, ladies. A glance
informed him tha