wn again."

"He should have told you that," Bienville repeated, taking his seat once
more, and speaking with some animation. "I did my best to straighten
things out for him."

"Then he didn't understand you. He told me you had taken back what you
had said, but only in a way that reaffirmed it."

"That's nothing but a tortuous construction put on straightforward
words."

"Quite so; but for that very reason I thought that perhaps you'd go to
him again and explain what you meant more clearly."

He took a minute to consider this before speaking.

"I don't see how I can," he said, slowly. "I've already used the
plainest words of which I have command."

"Words aren't everything. It's the way they're spoken that often counts
most. I'm sure you could convince him if you went the right way to work
about it."

"I doubt that. I'm afraid I don't know how to force conviction on any
one against his will."

"You mean--?"

"I mean--you'll excuse me; I speak quite bluntly--I mean that he seemed
very willing to believe anything that could tell against you, but less
eager to credit what was said in your defence."

"You think so because you don't understand him. As a matter of fact--"

"Oh, I dare say. I don't pretend to understand the gentleman in
question. But for that very reason it would be useless for me to try to
enlighten him further. It would only make matters worse."

"It wouldn't if you'd put things before him just as they happened. I
don't want any excuses made for me. My best defence would be--the
truth."

There was a perceptible pause, during which his eyes shifted uneasily
toward Marion Grimston.

"I should think you could tell him that yourself," he suggested, at
last.

"It wouldn't be the same thing. You're the only person who could speak
with authority. He'd accept your word, if you gave it--in a certain
way."

"I'm afraid I don't know what that way is."

"Oh yes, you do, Bienville!" she exclaimed, pleadingly, leaning forward
slightly, with her hands clasped in her lap. "Don't force me to speak
more plainly than I need. You must know what I refer to."

He shook his head slowly, with a look of mystification.

"What you may not know," she continued, "is all it means to me. I won't
put the matter on any ground but that of my need for earning money.
Because Mr. Pruyn has--misunderstood you, I've had to give up
my--my--place"--she forced the last word with a little difficulty--"and
until something li