, isn't it?"

"Where is the difference? If anybody minds the nonsense printed in that
thing, Herbert Courtland will certainly be able to defend himself when
called on to do so."

Phyllis seated herself once again.

"But a question is to be asked in Parliament about him?" she suggested.

"And can you, the daughter of a member of that Parliament, honestly
tell me that you fancy that any human being minds how many questions are
asked about him in the Questionable House?"

"But the least breath of
suspicion--dynamite--slave-dealing--massacres--Armenia. Oh, the article
is certain to be copied into dozens of other papers--the public do so
like to get hold of some scandal against a man who has done something
great."

"They do indeed. Would you suggest organizing a committee of ladies for
the protection of Mr. Courtland?"

"Don't talk nonsense, Ella. I though that you were his friend, and that
you would be as indignant as I was at that disgraceful attack upon his
reputation."

"I don't think that it will place his reputation in jeopardy, unless
with the readers of that paper, and they are not worth taking into
account, are they?"

"Papa says the thing has a large circulation among a certain class. I
want him to ridicule the question which is threatened in that article;
he knows how to do that kind of thing very well."

"Is it come to that, my Phyllis? Were you really so greatly interested
in the one conversation you had with him as to constitute yourself his
champion?"

Above all things Phyllis was truthful. She had never had an experience
of love--that passion which can change the most truthful of womankind
into the least scrupulous. There was no pause between Ella's question
and Phyllis' answer.

"Certainly the one conversation that I had with him interested me--I
told you so returning in the carriage. Has he never succeeded in
interesting you, Ella? He told me that you were his friend--I believe he
said his dearest friend."

"And I believe that he told you the truth," said Ella. "But, being
his best friend and a woman, I refrain from constituting myself his
champion. You see we live in Philistia, my Phyllis, and the champions
that Philistia sends forth usually come to grief; there was the case of
one Goliath of Gath, for example. I have no desire to have stones slung
at me by the chosen people."

"I'm not quite sure that I understand you," said Phyllis, with a very
pretty pucker on her forehead. "You don'