y, "you _must_ go and get rid of that woman,
at least; or let _me_."

Hilary flung down his napkin, and red from argument cast a dazed look
about him, and without really quite knowing what he was about rushed out
of the room.

His wife hardly had time to say, "You oughtn't to have got into a
dispute with your father, Matt, when you know he's been so perplexed,"
before they heard his voice call out, "Good heavens, my poor child!" For
the present they could not know that this was a cry of dismay at the
apparition of Suzette Northwick, who met him in the reception-room with
the demand:

"What is this about my father, Mr. Hilary?"

"About your father, my dear?" He took the hands she put out to him with
her words, and tried to think what pitying and helpful thing he could
say. She got them away from him, and held one fast with the other.

"Is it true?" she asked.

He permitted himself the pretence of not understanding her; he had to do
it. "Why, we hope--we hope it isn't true. Nothing more is known about
his being in the accident than we knew at first. Didn't Matt--"

"It isn't _that_. It's worse than that. It's that other thing--that the
papers say--that he was a defaulter--dishonest. Is _that_ true?"

"Oh, no, no! Nothing of the kind, my dear!" Hilary had to say this; he
felt that it would be inhuman to say anything else; nothing else would
have been possible. "Those newspapers--confound them!--you know how they
get things all--You needn't mind what the papers say."

"But why should they say anything about my father, at such a time, when
he's--What does it all mean, Mr. Hilary? I don't believe the papers, and
so I came to you--as soon as I could, this morning. I knew you would
tell me the truth. You have known my father so long; and you know how
_good_ he is! I--You know that he never wronged any one--that he
_couldn't_!"

"Of course, of course!" said Hilary. "It was quite right to come to
me--quite right. How--how is your sister? You must stay, now--Louise
isn't down, yet--and have breakfast with her. I've just left Mrs. Hilary
at the table. You must join us. She can assure you--Matt is quite
confident that there's nothing to be distressed about in regard to
the--He--"

Hilary kept bustling aimlessly about as he spoke these vague phrases,
and he now tried to have her go out of the room before him; but she
dropped into a chair, and he had to stay.

"I want you to tell me, Mr. Hilary, whether there is the sli