in her tone.

"Yes--certainly," I answered. I did approve of young Bayliss, generally
speaking; there was no sane reason why I should not have approved of him
absolutely.

"And you trust me? You believe me capable of judging what is right or
wrong?"

"Of course I do."

"If you didn't you would not presume to interfere in my personal
affairs? You would not think of doing that, of course?"

"No--o," more slowly.

"Why do you hesitate? Of course you realize that you have no shadow of
right to interfere. You know perfectly well why I consented to remain
here for the present and why I have remained?"

"Yes, yes, I know that."

"And you wouldn't presume to interfere?"

"Doctor Herbert Bayliss is--"

She sprang to her feet. She was not smiling now.

"Stop!" she interrupted, sharply. "Stop! I did not come to discuss
Doctor Bayliss. I have asked you a question. I ask you if you would
presume to interfere in my personal affairs. Would you?"

"Why, no. That is, I--"

"You say that to me! YOU!"

"Frances, if you mean that I have interfered between you and the Doctor,
I--"

She stamped her foot.

"Stop! Oh, stop!" she cried. "You know what I mean. What did you say to
Mr. Heathcroft? Do you dare tell me you have not interfered there?"

It had come, the expected. Her smile and the asking for "advice" had
been apparently but traps to catch me off my guard. I had been prepared
for some such scene as this, but, in spite of my preparations,
I hesitated and faltered. I must have looked like the meanest of
pickpockets caught in the act.

"Frances," I stammered, "Frances--"

Her fury took my breath away.

"Don't call me Frances," she cried. "How dare you call me that?"

Perturbed as I was I couldn't resist making the obvious retort.

"You asked me to," I said.

"I asked you! Yes, I did. You had been kind to me, or I thought you
had, and I--I was foolish. Oh, how I hate myself for doing it! But I
was beginning to think you a gentleman. In spite of everything, I was
beginning to--And now! Oh, at least I thought you wouldn't LIE to me."

I rose now.

"Frances--Miss Morley," I said, "do you realize what you are saying?"

"Realize it! Oh," with a scornful laugh, "I realize it quite well; you
may be sure of that. Don't you like the word? What else do you call a
denial of what we both know to be the truth. You did see Mr. Heathcroft.
You did speak with him."

"Yes, I did."

"You did! You admit it!"

"I admit