not choose to have any one to
vouch for her."

"I know that; I understand that, Keith," Janet Macleod said, gently. "It
is enough for me that you have chosen her to be your wife; I know you
would choose a good woman to be your wife; and it will be enough for
your mother when she comes to reflect. But you must be patient."

"Patient I would be, if it concerned myself alone," said he; "but the
reflection--the insult of the doubt--"

"Now, now, Keith," said she, "don't let the hot blood of the Macleods
get the better of you. You must be patient, and considerate. If you will
sit down now quietly, and tell me all about the young lady, I will be
your ambassador, if you like; and I think I will be able to persuade
auntie."

"I wonder if there ever was any woman as kind as you are, Janet?" said
he, looking at her with a sort of wondering admiration.

"You must not say that any more now," she said, with a smile. "You must
consider the young lady you have chosen as perfection in all things. And
this is a small matter. If auntie is difficult to persuade, and should
protest, and so forth, what she says will not hurt me, whereas it might
hurt you very sorely. And now you will tell me all about the young lady,
for I must have my hands full of arguments when I go to your mother."

And so this Court of Inquiry was formed, with one witness not altogether
unprejudiced in giving his evidence, and with a judge ready to become
the accomplice of the witness at any point. Somehow Macleod avoided
speaking of Gertrude White's appearance. Janet was rather a plain woman,
despite those tender Celtic eyes. He spoke rather of her filial duty and
her sisterly affection; he minutely described her qualities as a
house-mistress; and he was enthusiastic about the heroism she had shown
in determining to throw aside the glittering triumphs of her calling to
live a simpler and wholesomer life. That passage in the career of Miss
Gertrude White somewhat puzzled Janet Macleod. If it were the case that
the ambitions and jealousies and simulated emotions of a life devoted to
art had a demoralizing and degrading effect on the character, why had
not the young lady made the discovery a little earlier? What was the
reason of her very sudden conversion? It was no doubt very noble on her
part, if she really were convinced that this continual stirring up of
sentiment without leading to practical issues had an unwholesome
influence on her woman's nature, to volun