wrong."

"By Jove! you have done me a cruel one," he said, with evident emotion.

"I am sorry I said a word to Sybil," answered Carrissima. "But she
happened to be here when I got home from Golfney Place that afternoon.
You know what I saw there----"

"I wish to goodness you hadn't gone near the house!" said Mark.

"No doubt you do!" she retorted. "It was no business of mine, only it
seemed so utterly inconsistent with that you distinctly told me!"

"I told you precisely the truth," he insisted.

"Oh, what nonsense!" said Carrissima.

"How could it be! You told me that Bridget was--was nothing to you."

"She was nothing. She is nothing."

"If that is really the case," said Carrissima, "why, then your conduct
appears inexplicable."

"Why didn't you tackle me?" he demanded. "Surely you have known me
long enough!"

Carrissima realized that the circumstances were against her. She had,
before to-day, come to the conclusion that those first excited
suspicions were entirely unjustifiable; although Mark had no doubt
deceived her, he could not be so bad as she had imagined at the time.
She perceived that she might find one excuse which yet she durst not
mention. If she could admit plainly that the sight of Bridget in his
arms made her madly jealous and for the moment unaccountable for her
words, then, perhaps, Mark might be mollified. At least this defence
would be true. It seemed incongruous that she instead of him should be
considered the offender; but above everything Carrissima must keep back
the only explanation which was likely to sound plausible.

"It was nothing to me," she said.

"Anyhow, it was a great deal to me," replied Mark. "Of course I played
the fool that afternoon. I don't want to make excuses. I admit there
are none. But you ought to understand that Bridget was an innocent
victim. No one was to blame but myself, and I not very severely. Yet
because of one act of momentary folly you could tell Sybil that
monstrous story."

"Well, I am sorry," said Carrissima. "I was carried away by
excitement. I suppose it's a weakness of mine! I sometimes do tell
people things and repent afterwards. I don't pretend to be immaculate."

"The fact is," returned Mark, "you've always been down on Bridget. The
girl is absolutely straight! What beats me is that you could meet me
as usual, as if nothing had come between us, take my hand and yet
believe all the time I was that sort of outsider."