matter after her uniform fashion.

"In effect, yes. I am not sure that it could be called a positive
violation of law--it is so well hedged about with little fictions and
pretenses--but it is plainly an evasion, and one which might get the
bank into trouble with the authorities at Washington."

"You mean that it is something which the law intends to forbid?"

"Yes. It is in violation of the spirit of the law."

"Then I don't see why you should have any doubt as to what you ought to
do."

"It is only that under the circumstances, if I press Tandy and call in
these loans, it might look like an unworthy indulgence in spite on my
part."

"I think you have no right to consider that. You have taken an oath to
obey the law in the conduct of the bank, and----"

"How did you know that, Barbara?"

The girl flushed and hesitated. At last she said:

"I've been reading the national banking laws."

"What in the world did you do that for?"

"Why, I'm to help, you know. So as soon as I heard you were to be
president of the bank I asked Mrs. Hallam to get Captain Hallam to lend
me the books."

Duncan smiled and kept silence for a while.

"Was that wrong, or very foolish, Guilford? I can really understand the
book."

"Of course you can, and it was neither wrong nor very foolish in you to
try. It was only very loyal and very loving. But there was no occasion
for you to do anything of the sort."

"But how can I help you if I don't try my best to understand the things
you are dealing with?"

"As I said before," he answered tenderly, "it is very loyal and very
loving of you to think in that way, and I thank you for it. But that
isn't what I have had in mind when we have talked of your helping me. I
have never had a thought of burdening you with my affairs except to ask
for your sympathy when things trouble me, and your counsel on all points
of right and wrong, and all that. You see, you have two things that I
need."

"What are they?"

"A singularly clear insight into all matters of duty, and a conscience
as white as snow. In this matter of Tandy's account, for example, you
have helped me more than you imagine. You have seen my duty clearly,
where I was in doubt about it, and you have prompted me to the resolute
doing of it, regardless of my own feelings, or Tandy's, or of any other
consideration whatever. Moreover, it is an immeasurable help to me
simply to sit in your presence and feel that you want me to do right