as I to do? I tried to ignore it and treat Reuben as I always had done,
but this I found impossible; my womanly pride was much too deeply hurt.
And yet I felt it the lowest depth of meanness to harbour such thoughts
of him without giving him the opportunity to defend himself. And
although it was most unlike Reuben in some respects, it was very like
him in others; for he has always expressed the utmost contempt for men
who marry for a livelihood. So I have remained on the horns of a dilemma
and am there still. What do you think I ought to have done?"

I rubbed my chin in some embarrassment at this question. Needless to
say, I was most disagreeably impressed by Walter Hornby's conduct, and
not a little disposed to blame my fair companion for giving an ear to
his secret disparagement of his cousin; but I was obviously not in a
position to pronounce, offhand, upon the merits of the case.

"The position appears to be this," I said, after a pause, "either Reuben
has spoken most unworthily and untruthfully of you, or Walter has lied
deliberately about him."

"Yes," she agreed, "that is the position; but which of the two
alternatives appears to you the more probable?"

"That is very difficult to say," I answered. "There is a certain kind of
cad who is much given to boastful rhodomontade concerning his conquests.
We all know him and can generally spot him at first sight, but I must
say that Reuben Hornby did not strike me as that kind of man at all.
Then it is clear that the proper course for Walter to have adopted, if
he had really heard such rumours, was to have had the matter out with
Reuben, instead of coming secretly to you with whispered reports. That
is my feeling, Miss Gibson, but, of course, I may be quite wrong. I
gather that our two young friends are not inseparable companions?"

"Oh, they are very good friends, but you see, their interests and views
of life are quite different. Reuben, although an excellent worker in
business hours, is a student, or perhaps rather what one would call a
scholar, whereas Walter is more a practical man of affairs--decidedly
long-headed and shrewd. He is undoubtedly very clever, as Mrs. Hornby
said."

"He takes photographs, for instance," I suggested.

"Yes. But not ordinary amateur photographs; his work is more technical
and quite excellent of its kind. For example, he did a most beautiful
series of micro-photographs of sections of metalliferous rocks which he
reproduced for publ