You
do not think that he is jealous?"

She began to perceive that she could not get any available counsel from
her father unless she could tell him everything. She must explain to
him what evil Lady Susanna had already done; how her sister-in-law had
acted as duenna, and had dared to express a suspicion about this very
man. And she must tell him that Lord George had desired her not to
waltz, and had done so, as she believed, because he had seen her
waltzing with Jack De Baron. But all this seemed to her to be
impossible. There was nothing which she would not be glad that he
knew, if only he could be made to know it all truly. But she did not
think that she could tell him what had really happened; and were she to
do so, there would be horrid doubts on his mind. "You do not mean to
say that he is given to that sort of thing?" asked the Dean, again with
a look of anger.

"Oh no,--at least I hope not. Susanna did try to make mischief."

"The d---- she did," said the Dean. Mary almost jumped in her chair,
she was so much startled by such a word from her father's mouth. "If
he's fool enough to listen to that old cat, he'll make himself a
miserable and a contemptible man. Did she say anything to him about
this very man?"

"She said something very unpleasant to me, and of course I told
George."

"Well?"

"He was all that was kind. He declared that he had no objection to make
to Captain De Baron at all. I am sure there was no reason why he
should."

"Tush!" exclaimed the Dean, as though any assurance or even any notice
of the matter in that direction were quite unnecessary. "And there was
an end of that?"

"I think he is a little inclined to be--to be----"

"To be what? You had better tell it all out, Mary."

"Perhaps what you would call strict. He told me not to waltz any more
the other day."

"He's a fool," said the Dean angrily.

"Oh no, papa; don't say that. Of course he has a right to think as he
likes, and of course I am bound to do as he says."

"He has no experience, no knowledge of the world. Perhaps one of the
last things which a man learns is to understand innocence when he sees
it." The word innocence was so pleasant to her that she put out her
hand and touched his knee. "Take no notice of what that angry woman
said to you. Above all, do not drop your acquaintance with this
gentleman. You should be too proud to be influenced in any way by such
scandal."

"But if she were to speak to George?"

"