ering is some shortcoming of their own."

"Then I must try to remove a wrong impression and my task is difficult
because you know Challoner better than I do. We can, however, agree
that he is honest."

"Eminently conscientious," Greythorpe remarked.

"Then you must allow for a reaction against the injudicious course I
took. I urged him to speak for a friend of mine, which was, no doubt,
very wrong, and it seems I went too far. Can you not imagine his
resenting it and being so determined not to be influenced that he
became hypercritical?"

Greythorpe thought this clever, since it was the best means of
lessening the value of Challoner's opinion that she could use.

"I gather that you put too severe a strain upon his friendship."

"I'm afraid there's a breach between us now, but that is not the point."

"No," said Greythorpe. "In a general way, your reasoning is logical,
but I hardly think it applicable to Challoner. He might resent your
action; but it would not make him unjust. I presume the man you favour
is Captain Sedgwick?"

"He's much the best of the three you have in view."

"Then you know something about the matter? We thought it was secret."

She laughed. "Secrets are not always well kept. I know the other men,
and though there is nothing that can be urged against their character,
they are plodders, men of routine, without much foresight or
enterprise."

"Allowing that you are right, isn't there something to be said for the
steady plodder?"

"I daresay he's useful," Mrs. Chudleigh agreed with a touch of scorn.
"But for the vacant post you want a bold determined man who can see
ahead."

"To some extent, I must agree. You believe Captain Sedgwick is such a
man?"

He felt a certain tempered admiration for her. She made no secret of
her aim, though he supposed she must find it embarrassing to plead for
her lover, since he did not doubt that she loved Sedgwick. She had
courage and cleverness and he listened with close attention while she
spoke about the man's exploits and abilities. Then she looked up with
an eagerness which somewhat moved him.

"Have I convinced you?" she asked.

Greythorpe smiled. "That Sedgwick is a dashing and intrepid soldier?
Yes. But there are other points to take into account, and the matter
does not entirely rest with me. Still, I think if he serves us well,
we may find some use for him."

It was a guarded promise and by no means all that she desired, but