"I'm not; but I can't stand by and see a lovely and innocent woman injured." "I presume I'm not to defend my friend?" she asked, her small foot tapping the tiled floor in anger. "You would not wish to do so if you knew his true character." "I do not wish to prolong this interview, Mr. Stanley. I must remind you that there are limits even to the rights of friendship, and you have overstepped them." "I fear I've forgotten myself, that I've been too vehement. I humbly beg your pardon. I won't trespass again, believe me. I only spoke for your good--indeed, I wanted to have a serious talk with you about yourself; but the spirit in which you receive my suggestions makes it impossible." "You mustn't say that," she replied, more quietly than she had hitherto spoken. "But you can surely understand that my friendship would be of little use to any man if I stood quietly by and let him be denounced without a word of resentment on my part. Are there other of my friends of whom you do not approve?" "It's partly that, but rather the--you'll pardon me--the things that are said about you, Belle. People--my friends--men as well as women--have said things in my presence--that I did not like to hear. Things that show how easy it is for a careless, easy-going nature like yours to be misinterpreted; in short----" "In short, they told you I was fast, I suppose, a sordid, scheming, money-making wretch. Is that correct?" "Really, Belle!" "Is that correct? Answer me." "Well, they certainly wouldn't have used such words in my presence." "But they meant that--or something like it?" "I'm afraid they did." Her face, white enough before, flushed red, as she demanded: "And you! What did you say?" "I--I don't remember-- I refused to listen; but I made up my mind to speak to you-- I thought you ought to know." "You"--she cried, turning on him in a fury--"you, my friend, as you call yourself, had no answer to make, did nothing, except to decide to lecture me about what you should have known to be a lie! Let me tell you, Mr. Stanley, you'd have done better to defend me--knowing, as you must know, the slights, the buffets, the insults I've had to endure, because I'm unprotected, and men can dare----" "I assure you I did. I didn't believe it of you for an instant." "You believed it enough to question me as to the truth of these accusations. It's easy to preach prudence when you've nothing to gain or lose; but were you a woman, thrown on the world and on her own resources, you'd find it a different, a very different, thing, and you'd expect help and encouragement from friends who are stronger and more fortunate than you--not this!" and she burst into tears. "Miss Fitzgerald!-- Belle!" he cried, striving to take her hand, "I wouldn't have pained you in this way for worlds! Believe me, I'm your friend, your true friend!" "I've friends enough of your sort," she sobbed, "too many." "But at least let me explain."