t to go to
your dinner. She bought a new dress expressly for it."

"Forgive me, old Dion, and please don't think I was attacking Rosamund.
No. But I think sometimes the very sweetest and best women do have their
little bit of insincerity. To women very often the motive seems of more
importance than the action springing from it. I had an idea that perhaps
Rosamund was anxious not to hurt some one's feelings."

"Whose?"

After a slight hesitation Daventry said:

"Mrs. Clarke's."

"Did Mrs. Clarke know that Rosamund accepted to go to your dinner?"
asked Dion abruptly, and with a forcible directness that put the not
unastute Daventry immediately on his guard.

"What on earth has that to do with it?"

"Everything, I should think. Did she?"

"No," said Daventry.

"Then how could--?" Dion began. But he broke off, and added more
quietly:

"Why are you so anxious that Rosamund should know Mrs. Clarke?"

"Well, didn't Mrs. Clarke ages ago express a wish to know Rosamund if
the case went in her favor?"

"Oh, I--yes, I fancy she did. But she probably meant nothing by it, and
has forgotten it."

"I doubt that. A woman who has gone through Mrs. Clarke's ordeal is
generally hypersensitive afterwards."

"But she's come out splendidly. Everybody believes in her. She's got her
child. What more can she want?"

"As she's such a great friend of ours I think it must seem very odd to
her not knowing Rosamund, especially as she's good friends with you.
D'you mind if we ask Rosamund to meet her again?"

"You've done it once. I should leave things alone. Mind, Rosamund has
never told me she doesn't want to know Mrs. Clarke."

"That may be another example of her goodness of heart," said Daventry.
"Rosamund seldom or never speaks against people. I'll tell you the
simple truth, Dion. As I helped to defend Mrs. Clarke, and as we won
and she was proved to be an innocent woman, and as I believe in her and
admire her very much, I'm sensitive for her. Perhaps it's very absurd."

"I think it's very chivalrous."

"Oh--rot! But there it is. And so I hate to see a relation of my own--I
count Rosamund as a relation now--standing out against her."

"There's no reason to think she's doing that."

An expression that seemed to be of pity flitted over Daventry's
intelligent face, and he slightly raised his eyebrows.

"Anyhow, we won't bother you with another dinner invitation," he said.

And so the conversation ended.

It left with