I have no way of
proving it. He and I were alone and in his house. There were no
witnesses. How, then, am I ever to clear my name of so foul an
accusation?"

"There is no need," answered the girl. "Nobody who knows you will ever
believe the story. Captain Hallam would not think it worth asking a
question about."

"No, Captain Hallam would not for a moment think of such a thing as even
possible. But that is because he knows me as few other men do or ever
will. But the accusation troubles him, because he knows that other
people will believe it. He and Richard Temple are at this moment busy
trying to find some way of clearing my name of the foul slander. They
will do all that two loyal and sagacious friends can do to accomplish
that purpose. But I cannot imagine any way in which they can succeed."

"What is it they are doing?"

"I do not know; they have refused to tell me. I only know that they can
never succeed."

"Oh, you must not think that. You don't know what wonders Captain Hallam
can work when he is in earnest. You must have hope and confidence.
Besides, nobody who knows you will ever believe such a story as that.
Your enemies will pretend to believe it, and for a time the people who
love to gossip will repeat it to each other. But you will live it down.
Every act of your life will contradict the lie, and Tandy's reputation
is not of a kind to lead sensible people to believe his falsehood when
you have set the truth against it. You are depressed and despondent now.
The mood is unworthy of you."

"Tell me what I should do."

"First of all you should act like the brave, strong man that you are.
You should either take this slander by the throat and strangle it by
publishing a simple, direct statement of the facts, or you should ignore
it altogether, as a thing too absurd to need even a denial. Wait till
you see what Captain Hallam and Mr. Temple succeed in doing, and then
act as seems best. But in any case, you must be strong and courageous.
No other mood belongs to such a man as you."

Duncan looked her full in the face for a space before speaking. Then he
said:

"And yet you say you have no gift to help me--that if you were my wife
you would be a drag upon me! Oh, Barbara, you cannot know how greatly I
need the strength that the sympathy and counsel of such a woman as you
are must give to the man who loves and wins her. You have in this hour
rescued me from despondency; you have made me strong again; you