"I know you'll excuse me, Bannister. I'm twice your age or more, and I--well--I haven't been so lucky as you in escaping the world of etiquette. But, my dear fellow, when the Duke sends a message--it really comes to that--it's a strongish thing to say you won't do it. Oh, of course, you can if you like--there's no beheading nowadays; but it's not very usual." "I wish Lord Cransford had never mentioned me to the Duke at all." "Perhaps it would have been wiser," the Squire conceded candidly, "but Cransford is so proud of anything that brings _kudos_ to the county, and he could no more leave you out than he could the Institute itself. Well, we mustn't force you. Think it over, think it over. I must be off. No, don't you go. Stay and have tea with the ladies;" and the Squire, who, as has been previously mentioned, was no fool, left his daughter to entertain his guest. Janet was working at a piece of embroidery, and she went on working in silence for a minute or two. Then she looked up and said: "Tora Smith was here this morning. She'll be very disappointed at your refusal to write for her meeting." "Miss Smith has no claim on me," said Dale stiffly. He had not forgotten Tora's injurious suspicions. "Besides, one doesn't do such things simply for the asking--not even if it's a lady who asks." "You know, I don't think anybody ought to ask--no, not princes; and I hope you won't do what Lord Cransford wants merely because you're asked." "Your father says I ought." "Papa wants you to do it very much." "And I should like to do what he wants." "I should like you to do what he wants, but not because he wants it," said Janet. Dale turned round to her and said abruptly: "I'll do it, if you want me to." Now this was flattering, and Janet could not deny that it gave her pleasure; but she clung to her principles. "I don't want it--in that sense," she answered. "I should be glad if it seemed to you a right thing to do; but I should be sorry if you did it, unless it did." "You will not let me do it for you?" "No," she answered, smiling. "You have no pleasure in obedience?" "Oh, well, only in willing obedience," said she, with a smile. "It would be very willing--even eager." "The motive would not be right. But how absurd! I believe----" "Well, what?" "That you mean to do it, and are trying to kill two birds with one stone." "You don't really think that, Miss Delane?" "No, of course not. Only you were becoming so serious." "May I not be serious?" "It isn't serious to offer to take important steps because it would please a girl." "Aren't you rather contradicting yourself? You called that becoming serious just now." "If I am, it is a privilege we all have." "Girls, you mean? Well, you refuse to help me?" "Entirely." "Even to counteract Miss Smith's illicit influence?" "I shall trust to your own sense of propriety."