she is not entitled to come in triumph--far from
it. But I like and admire what she is doing about Miss Octon, and I have
scandalized Mrs. Jepps and many other good folk by saying so. In that
she's brave and honest. I shouldn't mind if you could let her know how I
feel on this second point; my views on the first she'll know for
herself."

I did take occasion to let Jenny know what Alison wished to reach her.
"He may think what he likes about Catsford, if he's on my side about
Margaret," she declared with evident pleasure. Then her eyes twinkled.
"We'll have him yet, Margaret and I between us!" she added.

The next Sunday she attended Alison's church--she, Chat, and Margaret
Octon. I hope that she was not merely "doing the civil thing," like the
duchess in the story. After all she had always been one of his
bugbears--one of the people who went "fairly regularly."

That same Sunday, in the afternoon, Lacey came to see me. He drove up in
his dog-cart, handed the reins to a good-looking dark man, with upturned
mustaches, who sat by him, and came to my door. Having seen their
arrival, I was there to open it and welcome him.

"Won't your friend come in, too?" I asked.

"He's all right; he's in no hurry, and he's got a cigar. I want to speak
to you alone for just a minute."

He followed me in and sat down. His manner was thoughtful and a little
embarrassed.

"I saw you down in Catsford the other day," I remarked. "They were very
kind to us!"

"I want to ask you a question, Austin," he said. "Do you think that Miss
Driver would wish to receive a call from me?"

"I'm sure she'd be delighted."

"Wait a bit. You haven't heard the whole position. You saw me in
Catsford? You saw me bow to her?"

I nodded assent.

"Then I think I ought to go and pay her my respects--if it's not
disagreeable to her to receive me."

"But why should it be?"

"I belong to Fillingford Manor. I'm living there now. Neither the master
nor the lady of the house will--neither of them shares my views."

That did, on reflection, make the matter a little less simple than it
had seemed at first.

"I don't suppose we either of us want to discuss their reasons--or
wonder at the line they take. I had a little talk with my father about
it. He's always very fair. 'You're a man,' he said. 'Decide for
yourself. If after the recognition that passed between you--and on your
initiative, as I understand--you feel bound--as you say you do--as a
gentleman