doubt.
And now just look at them! Before one could say a word, there they are
on that bench, heads together, and pulling the weeds to pieces. Think of
it! Studying botany with _him_, and Mr. Tippengray on the same lawn with
her!"

"Oh, he's too hot to teach anything," said Lodloe. "You don't seem to
approve of Mr. Beam's attentions to that young woman."

"I do not," said she. "You know what he is as well as I do."

"Better," said Lodloe. For a moment he paused, and then continued: "Mrs.
Cristie, I wish you would let me go into the garden with you to pick
sweet peas and to talk about Mr. Beam."

"Mr. Beam!" she repeated.

"Yes," said Lodloe; "I wish very much to speak to you in regard to him,
and I cannot do it here where we may be interrupted at any moment."

As a young and pretty woman who knew her attractions, and who had made
resolutions in regard to the preponderance of social intercourse in a
particular direction, Mrs. Cristie hesitated before answering. But as a
matron who should know all about a young man who was paying very special
attention to a younger woman in her charge, she accepted the invitation,
and went into the garden with Lodloe.

The sweet pea-blossoms crowded the tall vines which lined one side of a
path, and as she picked them he talked to her.

He began by saying that he had noticed, and he had no doubt that she had
noticed, that in all the plain talk they had heard about Mr. Beam there
had been nothing said against his moral character except that he did not
pay his debts nor keep his promises. To this Mrs. Cristie assented, but
said that she thought these were very bad things. Lodloe agreed to this,
but said he thought that when a young man of whom even professional
slanderers did not say that he was cruel, or that he gambled, or drank,
or was addicted to low company and pursuits, had determined to reform
his careless and thoughtless life, he ought to be encouraged and helped
in every possible way. And then when she asked him what reason he had to
suppose that Mr. Beam had determined to reform, he straightway told her
everything about Lanigan, Chicago oats and all, adding that the young
man did not wish him to say anything about this matter, but he had taken
it upon himself to do so because Mrs. Cristie ought to know it, and
because he was sure that she would not mention it to any one. When Mrs.
Cristie exclaimed at this, and said that she thought that the sooner
everybody knew it the be