mustn't do it," he told her, with some return of his authority. He
softened the next moment; "I don't believe you would."

"Run no risks--advise your friends to run none. You've seen enough of me
now to know that it's not safe to conclude I shan't do a thing just
because I think it's wrong--or even because I don't at this moment mean
to do it. I have to reckon with a temper; others had better reckon with
it, too."

Alison looked at me, pursing up his lips. "I think that she points out a
real danger."

"I'm sure she does," I rejoined. "And you must reckon with it."

"Yes," he murmured, his eyes again searching her face. She nodded her
head ever so slightly at him with a defiant smile. "But losing your
temper oughtn't to be relied on as a resource. Reckon with it if you
like--not on it, Miss Driver."

Jenny laughed outright at that. "He hits me hard--but it makes no
difference," she said to me. "The plan stands." She turned quickly on
him: "In the end, what do you make of it?" She stretched out her right
hand. "Are even good things soiled if they are taken from that hand?"

"The pity of it!" he murmured, with a soft intonation of profound
sorrow.

"The child's a pearl. Let her be happy! Is the beauty of it nothing to
you?"

"Yes, it's much--and your love for her is much." He paused a moment.
"And perhaps I should be overbold to speak against that other love of
yours--now. Maybe it lies beyond the jurisdiction committed to us here
on earth."

Jenny was, I fear, entirely devoted to earth and, at that moment, to
arranging her own bit of earth as she wanted to have it. She gave him no
thanks for what was, from him, a very considerable concession. Rather
she fastened on his softer mood as affording her an opportunity.

"Then you oughtn't to be against me," she urged.

"I'm not against you. This is not my ground--not my business."

"You might even help me." He looked doubtful at that. "Simply in one
way. There's one little thing you can do easily, though it's difficult
for me. For all the rest, I leave you to do anything or nothing, just as
you think proper."

"What's the one little thing?" he asked.

"Bring Lord Fillingford and Margaret together. It's very easy--except
for me--and it commits you to nothing. Give her her chance. Anyhow, none
of the trouble's her fault, is it?"

"There doesn't seem much harm in that."

"Give him no hint of what I've said. It would be so much better if the
idea could come fro