. "You did it, then?"

"If I had," Gore went on quickly, "it wouldn't have been a crime. You
can't know how easy it was for the thing to happen. I am not going to
tell you--I am not going to justify myself----" And he went on with a
passionate need of self-vindication, drawing from his own words the
conviction that he had hardly been at fault.

"Sir William," Rendel said hurriedly, "tell me----"

"It is easy enough," said Gore, "for you to talk of faith and trust. You
need not grudge my child's faith in me. I have nothing else left now."
And as the two men looked at each other each in his soul had a vision of
the gracious presence that had always been by Sir William's side: of one
who would have believed in him, justified him, if the whole world had
accused him. Rendel suddenly paused as he was going to speak.

"Life is very easy for you," Gore went on in a rapid, trembling voice.
Oh, the relief of saying it all!

"It is all quite plain sailing for you, you with whom everything
succeeds, you who are young and have your life before you. You have time
for the things that happen to you to be made right."

"Don't let us discuss all that now," said Rendel, with an effort. "We
are talking of something else that matters more than I can say. You
only can tell me----"

"I will tell you nothing," said Gore loudly, excited and breathless,
speaking in gasps. "One day when you are old and alone--and both of
these things may come to you as well as to other people--you will
understand what all this means to me."

"Father, dear father!" cried Rachel, coming in hurriedly. Anxious and
wretched at Rendel's interview with her father being so unduly
prolonged, she had wandered upstairs again, and when she heard the
excited and angry voices she could bear the suspense no longer. "What is
it?"

Gore sank back trembling into his chair as she came in, making signs to
her that for the moment he was unable to speak. A glance at him was
enough to show that it actually was so.

"Oh, Frank!" she cried, "what have you done? I asked you not to excite
him."

"Wait, Rachel, wait!" said Rendel, trying to speak calmly, feeling that
everything was at stake. "Sir William, can you not tell me----?"

Gore feebly shook his head.

"Frank!" cried Rachel, amazed at his persistence. "Oh, don't! Let me
implore you not to ask him anything more. Frank! do you mind leaving him
now? Oh, you must, you must, really. Look at him!"

Sir William, white and