The question of his wrong-doing won't enter. I
can't tell you how. But you ought to have a lawyer who would defend your
rights in the case."

"If they don't pretend we've done anything then they can't do anything
to us!"

"They can take everything your father had in the world to pay his
debts."

"Then let them take it," said the girl. "If he had lived he would have
paid them. We will never admit that he did anything for us to be ashamed
of; that he ever wilfully wronged any one."

Matt could see that the profession of her father's innocence was
essential to her. He could not know how much of it was voluntary, a pure
effect of will, in fulfilment of the demands of her pride, and how much
was real belief. He only knew that, whatever it was, his wish was not to
wound her or to molest her in it, but to leave what should be sacred
from human touch to the mystery that we call providence. It might have
been this very anxiety that betrayed him, for a glance at his face
seemed to stay her.

"Don't you think I am right, Mr. Hilary?"

"Yes, yes!" Matt began; and he was going to say that she was right in
every way, but he found that his own truth was sacred to him as well as
her fiction, and he said, "I've no right to judge your father. It's the
last thing I should be willing to do. I certainly don't believe he ever
wished to wrong any one if he could have helped it."

"Thank you!" said the girl. "That was not what I asked you. I _know_
what my father meant to do, and I didn't need any reassurance. I'm sorry
to have troubled you with all these irrelevant questions; and I thank
you very much for the kind advice you have given me."

"Oh, don't take it so!" he entreated, simply. "I do wish to be of use to
you--all the use that the best friend in the world can be; and I see
that I have wounded you. Don't take my words amiss; I'm sure you
couldn't take my will so, if you knew it! If the worst that anybody has
said about your father were ten times true, it couldn't change my will,
or--"

"Thank you! Thank you!" she said perversely. "I don't think we
understand each other, Mr. Hilary. It's scarcely worth while to try. I
think I must say good-by. My sister will be expecting me." She nodded,
and he stood aside, lifting his hat. She dashed by him, and he remained
staring after her till she vanished in the curve of the avenue. She
suddenly reappeared, and came quickly back toward him. "I wanted to say
that, no matter what you thi