"Well, my ardent lover," he said, "that being so, you'd better do nothing till you see whether it's true." "Not at all. I only took the hypothesis; but I haven't the least doubt that it's a lie." "A mistake--yes. But it's in the _Bull's-eye_, and a mistake in the newspapers needs to be reckoned with." "What shall I do?" "Wait till George comes back. Meanwhile, hold your tongue." "I shall contradict that lie." "Much better not. Don't write to them, or see them, or let anybody else till George comes back. And, Gerald, if I were you, I shouldn't quarrel with George." "He shall withdraw it, or prove it." Mr. Blodwell shrugged his shoulders and became ostentatiously busy with the case of _Pigg_ v. _the Local Board of Slushton-under-Mudd_. "A very queer point this," he remarked. "The drainage system of Slushton is----" And he stopped with a chuckle at the sight of Gerald's vanishing back. He called after him-- "Are you going to Mrs. Witt's this afternoon?" "No," answered Gerald. "This evening." Mr. Blodwell sat at work for ten minutes more. Then he rang the bell. "Mr. Neston gone, Timms?" "Yes, sir." "Then get a four-wheeler." And he added to himself, "I should like to see her again, under this new light. I wonder if she'll let me in." Neaera did let him in. In fact, she seemed very glad to see him, and accepted with meekness her share of his general censure on the "babbling" that had gone on. "You see," she said, handing him a cup of tea, "it scarcely seemed a serious matter to me. I was angry, of course, but almost more amused than angry." "Naturally," answered Mr. Blodwell. "But, my dear young lady, everything which is public is serious. And this thing is now public, for no doubt to-morrow's _Bull's-eye_ will give all your names and addresses." "I don't care," said Neaera. Mr. Blodwell shook his head. "You must consider Gerald and his people." "Gerald doesn't doubt me. If he did----" Neaera left her recreant lover's fate to the imagination. "But Lord Tottlebury and the world at large? The world at large always doubts one." "I suppose so," said Neaera, sadly. "Fortunately, I have conclusive proof." "My dear Mrs. Witt, why didn't you say so before?" "Before there was anything to meet? Is that your way, Mr. Blodwell?" "George may bring back something to meet." Neaera rose and went to her writing-table. "I don't know why I shouldn't show it to you," she said. "I was just going to send it to Lord Tottlebury. It will be a pleasant surprise for Mr. George Neston when he comes back from Peckton with his proofs!" She handed Mr. Blodwell a sheet of note-paper. He took it, throwing one quick glance at Neaera. "You wish me to read this?" "It's letting you into the secrets of my early days," she said. "You see, I wasn't always as well off as I am now."