e could have cleared me if he had
tried. Well, maybe so--maybe not; I can't tell. But, my dear, I don't
want you to bother your head about me. If you're fond of the fellow, you
needn't let my affairs stand in your way. Why, as a matter of fact, I'm
better off now than I should ever have been in England; so what seemed
to be a misfortune has turned out to my advantage. I'm content enough.
Mr. Lepel has held his tongue, you say"--though Cynthia had not uttered
a single word; "but I reckon it was for his sister's sake. And, though
she's a bad lot, I don't see how a man could tell of his sister,
Cynthy--I don't indeed. So you go back to Mr. Lepel and tell him not to
bother himself. I can take care of myself now, and all this rubbish
about clearing my character may as well be knocked on the head. As soon
as I'm out of the country, I don't care a rap! You tell that to Mr.
Lepel, my beauty, and make it up with him. I wouldn't for the world that
you should be unhappy because I've been unfortunate."

This was a long speech for Westwood; and Cynthia came and put her hands
on his shoulders and laid her cheek to his long before he had finished.

"Dear father," she said, "you are very good and very generous!"

"Confess now, Cynthy--you love him, don't you?" said Westwood, with
unusual gentleness.

"I am afraid I do, father," she said, crying as she spoke.

"Then be faithful to him, my lass, like your mother was to me."

They said no more. But Cynthia brooded over her father's words for the
next three days and nights. Then she came to him one day with her hat
and cloak on, as if she were going for a walk.

"Father," she began abruptly, "do you allow me to go to Hubert--to see
him, I mean?"

"Of course I do, my dear."

"Although you believe what you said--and what I did not say--that he
could have cleared you if he had liked?"

"Yes, my dear--if you love him."

"Yes, I love him," said Cynthia sadly.

"I'm going to sail next week; he'll never be troubled by me again," said
her father. "You can either stay with him, Cynthia, or he can come out
with us. Out there we can all forget what's over and done. You go to him
and tell him so at once."

He kissed her on the forehead with unaccustomed solemnity. Cynthia flung
her arms round his neck and gave him a warm embrace. The eyes of both
father and daughter were wet as they said good-bye.

Cynthia knew nothing of Mrs. Vane's visit to London. She expected to
meet a trained nur