on, as you might have
discovered had you let Universal Charity alone and practised it in
particular, for once, by going to visit her. It is now close on four
months that you and Charles have been home, and from here to Lincoln
is no such great distance."

"You are a sturdy champion," he answered, eyeing her up and down.
"As a matter of fact you are right, though you assert it rashly.
How are you sure that I have not visited Hetty, seeing that three
times I have been absent from home and for some days together?"

Molly winced. "The worse reproach to all of us, that her only
champion was the weakling whom you all scorn! You do not understand
weakness, Jack. As for my knowing that you had not visited her,
Johnny Whitelamb took his holiday a fortnight ago and trudged to
Lincoln to see her. She is living behind a dingy little shop with
her husband, and his horrible old father, who drinks whatever he can
filch from the till. They wink at it so long as he does not go too
far; but William is trying to find him lodgings at Louth, which was
his old home, and hopes to sell up the business and move to London
with Hetty, to try his fortune. Uncle Matthew has written to her,
and will help them to move, I believe. And there was a baby coming,
but mercifully something went wrong, poor mite! All this news she
sent by Johnny, who reports that she is brave and cheerful and as
beautiful as ever--more beautiful than ever, he said--but she talked
long of you and Charles, and is said to have seen neither of you."

"So Whitelamb is in the conspiracy? Since you have so much of his
confidence, you might warn him to be careful. Doubts of our father's
wisdom must unsettle him woefully. I do not ask to join the
alliance, but it may please you to know that in my belief Hetty has
been treated too fiercely for her deserts, and in my sermon I intend
to hint at this pretty plainly."

Molly stared. "Dear Jack, it--it is good to have you on our side.
But what good can a sermon do?"

"Not much, I fear. Still a testimony is a testimony."

"But the folks will know you are speaking of her."

"I mean them to."

"But--but--" Molly cast about, bewildered.

"I am venturing something," John interrupted coldly, "by testifying
against my father. It is not over-pleasant to stand up and admit
that in our own family we have sinned against Christ's injunction to
judge not."

"I should think not, indeed!"

"Then you might reasonably show a