at all; and until he discovered arguments which she could not
controvert he decided to hold his peace.

Action of some sort became imperative when he found that Miss Lucilla
Van Tromp had heard the story and drawn from it what seemed to her the
obvious conclusion.

"I should never have believed it," she declared, tearfully, "if you
hadn't admitted it yourself. I told Mrs. Bayford that nothing but your
own words would convince me that any such scene had taken place."

"Allowing that it did, isn't it conceivable that it might have had an
honorable motive?"

"Then, what is it? If you could tell me that--"

"I could tell you easily enough if there weren't other considerations
involved. I should think that in the circumstances you could trust me."

"Nobody else does, Derek."

"Whom do you mean by nobody else?--Mrs. Bayford?"

"Oh, she's not the only one. If your men friends don't believe in you--"

"They believe in me, all right; don't you worry about that."

"They may believe in you as men believe in one another; but it isn't the
way I believe in people."

"I know how you believe in people if ill-natured women would let you
alone. You wouldn't mistrust a thief if you saw him stealing your watch
from your pocket."

"That's not true, Derek. I can be as suspicious as any one when I like."

"But don't you see that your suspicion doesn't only light, on me? It
strikes Diane."

"That's just it."

"Lucilla! he cried, reproachfully.

"Well, Derek, you know how loyal I've been to her. It's been harder,
too, than you've ever been aware of; for I haven't told you--I
_wouldn't_ tell you--one-half the things that people have hinted to me
during the past two years."

"Yes; but who? A lot of jealous women--"

"It's no use saying that, Derek; because your own actions contradict
you. Why did Diane leave your house, if it wasn't that you believed--?"

"Don't." He raised his hand to his face, as if protecting himself from a
blow.

"I wouldn't," she cried, "if you didn't make me. I say it only in
self-defence. After all, you can only accuse me of what you've done
yourself. Diane made me think at first that you had misjudged her; but I
see now that if she had been a good woman you wouldn't have sent her
away."

"I didn't send her away. She went."

"Yes, Derek; but why?"

"That has nothing to do with the question under discussion."

"On the contrary, it has everything to do with it. It all belongs
together. I've lo