me incapable of uttering what was not true. And further, remember, that
you declined giving your informant, so as to place it in her power to
ascertain upon what basis the statement rested. Reverse the case.
Suppose I had heard that you had done some wrong act; and, instead of
carefully satisfying myself whether it were really so or not, were to
begin circulating the story wherever I went. Would you not deem her a
true friend, who, instead of joining in the general condemnation, were
to come to you and put into your power to vindicate your character?
Certainly you would. Just in the relation which that true friend would,
under the imagined circumstances, stand to you, now stands Mary Lee to
me. She has put into my power to arrest a report which I find is
circulating to my injury. It is true that I declined dancing with Mr.
Evelyn. But it is not true that I stated to him that I was engaged. I
was not engaged, and to have said that I was, would have been to have
told a deliberate falsehood. May I, then, ask you from what source you
derived your information?"

Flora cast her eyes upon the floor, and sat silent for some time. Her
pride struggled hard with her sense of justice. At length she said,
looking up, and breathing heavily--

"I would rather not mention my informant, Ellen. It will only make
difficulty. You will go to her, and then there will be trouble. I think
you had better let the matter rest where it is. I do not, now, believe
what I heard. The person who told me, was, no doubt, mistaken."

"But, Flora, that would not be right. You have already repeated what you
heard so publicly, that it is possible at least fifty persons now
believe me guilty of having spoken an untruth. You should have reflected
beforehand. Now it is too late to let the matter drop. My character is
at stake, and I am bound to vindicate it. This I shall have to do in
such a manner as to fully clear myself from the charge. The consequence
will be, as you may at once perceive, that upon you will rest the burden
of having originated a false charge against me. Then, if not now, you
will feel it your duty to give the name of your friend. This, you had
much better do at once. No doubt she has been led into a mistake by a
too hasty judgment of my acts, but half understood. She may have
observed Mr. Evelyn ask me to dance, and have naturally inferred that I
declined on the ground of a previous engagement. This being in her mind,
she may have too h