girl who had stumbled in and out of his
life in ghostly fashion. Her masquerade, with all its consequences, had
brought him within near touch of another woman, whose personality at
this hour overshadowed his mind to the exclusion of every other
interest. He was capable only of thinking that Sophia was treating him
as a well-known friend. The compunction suppressed within him culminated
when, at her father's gate, Miss Rexford held out her hand for the
good-bye grasp of his. The idea that he was playing a false part became
intolerable. Impulsively he showed reluctance to take the hand.

"Miss Rexford, I--I'm afraid you think--"

Then he remembered the promise by which he was bound to let Robert tell
his own story. Confused, he seemed to know nothing but that he must
finish his sentence to satisfy the interrogation in her eyes.

"You think I am a gentleman like Robert. I am only a--"

"What?" she asked, looking upon him good-humouredly, as she would have
looked upon a blundering boy.

"I am only a--a--cad, you know."

His face had an uncomfortable look, hot and red. She was puzzled, but
the meaning that was in his thought did not enter hers. In a moment that
romantic didacticism which was one of the strongest elements in her
character had struck his strange words into its own music.

"Oh, Mr. Trenholme!" she cried; "do not so far outdo us all in the grace
of confession. We are all willing to own ourselves sinners; but to
confess to vulgarity, to be willing to admit that in us personally there
is a vein of something vulgar, that, to our shame, we sometimes strike
upon! Ah, people must be far nobler than they are before that clause can
be added to the General Confession!"

He looked at her, and hardly heard her words; but went on his way with
eyes dazzled and heart tumultuous.

When at home he turned into the study, where his brother was still a
prisoner. The autumn breeze and sunshine entered even into this domain
of books and papers. The little garden was so brimful of bloom that it
overflowed within the window-sill.

When he had loitered long enough to make believe that he had not come
in for the sake of this speech, Alec said, "I'm going to the West--at
least, when Bates is gone, I'll go; and, look here, I don't know that
I'd say anything to these people if I were in your case. Don't feel any
obligation to say anything on my account."

Principal Trenholme was at his writing-table. "Ah?" said he, prolonging