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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
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