and if you can believe that I have not sinned--"

"Oh, Lady Ongar!"

"Well, I will not doubt you again. But as far as I can learn you are
nearly alone in your belief. What. Hermy thinks I cannot tell, but she
will soon come to think as Hugh may bid her. And I shall not blame her.
What else can she do, poor creature?"

"I am sure she believes no ill of you."

"I have one advantage, Harry--one advantage over her and some others. I
am free. The chains have, hurt me sorely during my slavery; but I am
free, and the price of my servitude remains. He had written home-would
you believe that? while I was living with him he had written home to say
that evidence should be collected for getting rid of me. And yet he
would sometimes be civil, hoping to cheat me into inadvertencies. He
would ask that man to dine, and then of a sudden would be absent; and
during this he was ordering that evidence should be collected! Evidence,
indeed! The same servants have lived with me through it all If I could
now bring forward evidence I could make it all clear as the day. But
there needs no care for a woman's honor, though a man may have to guard
his by collecting evidence!"

"But what he did cannot injure you."

"Yes, Harry, it has injured me; it has all but destroyed me. Have not
reports reached even you? Speak out like a man, and say whether it is
not so!"

"I have heard something."

"Yes, you have heard something! If you heard something of your sister
where would you be? All the world would be a chaos to you till you had
pulled out somebody's tongue by the roots. Not injured me! For two years
your cousin Hugh's house was my home. I met Lord Ongar in his house. I
was married from his house. He is my brother-in-law, and it so happens
that of all men he is the nearest to me. He stands well before the
world, and at this time could have done me real service. How is it that
he did not welcome me home; that I am not now at his house with my
sister; that he did not meet me so that the world might know that I was
received back among my own people? Why is it, Harry, that I am telling
this to you--to you, who are nothing to me; my sister's husband's
cousin; a young man, from your position, not fit to be my confidant? Why
am I telling this to you, Harry?"

"Because we are old friends," said he, wondering again at this moment
whether she knew of his engagement with Florence Burton.

"Yes, we are old friends, and we have always liked each othe