e broke off a moment, and her voice was very quiet when she went on
again.

"Still," she added, "what Sproatly says does not alter the case so very
much after all. It can't free me of my responsibility. If I hadn't
driven him, Gregory would not have gone to her."

"You consider that in itself a very dreadful thing?"

Agatha looked at her with suddenly lifted head. "Of course," she said.
"Can you doubt it?"

Her companion laughed, though there was a little gleam in her eyes, for
this was an opportunity she had been waiting for.

"Then," she said, "you spoke like an Englishwoman--of station--just out
from the Old Country--but I'm going to try to disabuse you of one
impression. Sally, to put it crudely, is quite good enough for
Gregory. In fact, if she had been my daughter I'd have kept him away
from her. To begin with, once you strip Gregory of his little surface
graces, and his clean English intonation, how does he compare with the
men you meet out here? What does his superiority consist of? Is he
truer or kinder than you have found most of them to be? Has he a finer
courage, or a more resolute endurance--a greater capacity for labour,
or a clearer knowledge of the calling by which he makes his living?"

Agatha did not answer. She could not protest that Gregory possessed
any of these qualities, and her companion went on again.

"Has he even a more handsome person? I could point to a dozen men
between here and the railroad, whose clean, self-denying life has set a
stamp on them that Gregory will never wear. To descend to perhaps the
lowest point of all, has he more money? We know he wasted what he
had--probably in indulgence--and there is a mortgage on his farm. Has
he any sense of honour? He let Sally believe he was in love with her
before you even came out here, and of late, while he still claimed you,
he has gone back to her. Can't you get away from your point of view,
and realise what kind of man he is?"

Agatha turned her head away. "Ah!" she said, "I realised him--several
months ago. They were rather painful months to me. But you are quite
sure he was in love with Sally before I came out?"

"Well," said Mrs. Hastings, "his conduct suggested it." Then she laid
a caressing hand on the girl's shoulder. "You tried to keep faith with
him. Tried desperately, I think. Did you succeed?"

Agatha contrived to meet her companion's eyes. "At least, I would have
married him."

"Then," said Mr