hers? You
will excuse my saying that--technically speaking, of course--I cannot
distinctly conceive of it as having any separate existence."

Mr. Tredegar spoke with the deliberate mildness that was regarded as his
most effective weapon at the bar, since it was likely to abash those
who were too intelligent to be propitiated by it.

"Certainly it is involved in hers," Amherst agreed; "but how far that
defines it is just what I have waited till now to find out."

Bessy at this point recalled her presence by a restless turn of her
graceful person, and her father, with an affectionate glance at her,
interposed amicably: "But surely--according to old-fashioned ideas--it
implies identity of interests?"

"Yes; but whose interests?" Amherst asked.

"Why--your wife's, man! She owns the mills."

Amherst hesitated. "I would rather talk of my wife's interest in the
mills than of her interests there; but we'll keep to the plural if you
prefer it. Personally, I believe the terms should be interchangeable in
the conduct of such a business."

"Ah--I'm glad to hear that," said Mr. Tredegar quickly, "since it's
precisely the view we all take."

Amherst's colour rose. "Definitions are ambiguous," he said. "Before you
adopt mine, perhaps I had better develop it a little farther. What I
mean is, that Bessy's interests in Westmore should be regulated by her
interest in it--in its welfare as a social body, aside from its success
as a commercial enterprise. If we agree on this definition, we are at
one as to the other: namely that my relation to the matter is defined by
hers."

He paused a moment, as if to give his wife time to contribute some sign
of assent and encouragement; but she maintained a puzzled silence and he
went on: "There is nothing new in this. I have tried to make Bessy
understand from the beginning what obligations I thought the ownership
of Westmore entailed, and how I hoped to help her fulfill them; but ever
since our marriage all definite discussion of the subject has been put
off for one cause or another, and that is my reason for urging that it
should be brought up at the directors' meeting tomorrow."

There was another pause, during which Bessy glanced tentatively at Mr.
Tredegar, and then said, with a lovely rise of colour: "But, John, I
sometimes think you forget how much has been done at Westmore--the
Mothers' Club, and the play-ground, and all--in the way of carrying out
your ideas."

Mr. Tredegar dis