myself now but for two insuperable difficulties, one
being that certain important duties keep me in London at present, and
the other that Mr. Evans most distinctly does not want me."

"I quite see what you mean," I said; "but if the worst happens, and I
am there at the time, I shall do my best and not mind the
unpleasantness."

"I am sure of that," he returned, "but you don't at all realise what is
involved. However, we won't discuss this further. On his account I
should be heartily glad for you to go, and I am relieved that he has
had the good sense to suggest it."

"I regard him very highly," I said.

"You do more: you love him," he remarked, with a sharp, keen glance at
my face.

"Yes, I think I love him," I replied without confusion. "I could
easily be his daughter; we have much in common."

He said nothing for quite a long time, during which he threw his
cigarette away and lit a pipe. Then he turned to me:

"Now for my parable."

"Yes," I said; "tell me about it."

"You guessed, of course, that it is a matter that affects me deeply and
seriously?"

"I was afraid so. I could not be certain, of course, but I felt that
it was much more than an ethical conundrum."

"God knows it was, and He knows, too, that I am grateful to you for the
clear lead you gave, suspecting, as you must have done, that it meant
much to me."

Had I suspected? I suppose I did, for my heart, I remember, beat
painfully; yet I had not thought much more of it since. I looked at
him, and saw that his face was white but resolute, and I said
hesitatingly:

"I am sorry if you are in trouble, but Farmer Goodenough thinks that
troubles are blessings in disguise. I wish I could give you more than
second-hand comfort."

"I am going to tell you exactly where I stand," he said, "and you must
not allow your woman's instinct of comfort to cloud or bias your
judgment. Goodenough may be right, but if I take the step I
contemplate it will not be because I expect good to result to
myself--though there may be, no doubt, a certain spiritual gain--but
because it is the only course possible to me if I am to retain my
self-respect.

"You will hardly have heard of a rather prominent case in which I
figured recently as counsel for the plaintiff."

"Lessingham _versus_ Mainwaring?" I queried.

"You have heard of it then? Do you know the details?"

"Not at all. I simply read in the paper that you had won the case for
your client."

"