ied. "To think of that old
witch of Endor saying all those horrible untrue things about poor lovely
Marcia, and worse, spreading them broadcast?"

Hayden lifted his chin in quick determination. "Mrs. Habersham, I can not
be ignorant of what you refer to. I have, to my annoyance"--he hesitated
and then deliberately chose another word--"to my pain, heard various
hints and innuendoes before of the same kind. Now, why is this? Just
malice, envy, jealousy? Why"--his indignation vibrated through his
voice--"should one so lovely, so above reproach, as Miss Oldham, be the
victim of that sort of thing?"

"Because," said Bea bitterly, "Marcia attends strictly to her own
business and does not request any advice or permit any interference. Oh,
Mr. Hayden, it is useless to tell you what a dear she is. I know from
what you have just said that you do, you must admire her. No one could
help it," she added, with a simple and loyal conviction. "So you may
understand how difficult it is for us who love her, for the very few of
us who are in some measure in her confidence, to have to accept the fact
that there are certain things in her life which appear odd, which are
not--" She broke off, looking at him uncertainly.

"Mrs. Habersham--" Hayden had turned about in his seat so that he could
gaze more directly at her, and now, although his face had grown pale, he
smiled down upon her his charming smile. "Mrs. Habersham, let me go
further and tell you that I have never met a woman in my life toward whom
I have felt as I do toward Miss Oldham. Why not put it frankly and tell
you the exact truth? I love her."

Bea's eyes brightened delightedly and then grew a little sad. "I
suspected as much," she said gently, "and yet, I hardly knew whether you
had the courage or not. Now," impulsively moving nearer to him, "I will
be as frank as you have been. Nothing in all the world, nothing would
please me half so much as for you and Marcia to love each other. I don't
know you awfully well, Mr. Hayden, and yet," she laughed, "I do in a way.
True, we have only met a few times; but for many years I have been well
acquainted with Kitty's 'Bobby,' But," and her dark eyes smiled on him
with a soft shining in their depths, "I think that just now when there is
all this unkind whispering it is a beautiful and courageous thing for you
to love Marcia, and I want to assure you that all the support I can give
to your cause is yours."

Her ungloved hand lay on her