Mr. Dormer-Smith was not prepared with a cogent answer on the spur of the moment. So he fell back on murmuring some faint echoes of his wife's maxims about "duty to society." But he had not Pauline's sincere convictions on the subject, and did it but feebly. "And, oh, Uncle Frederick," proceeded May; "what a mean impostor I have been all this time!" "Impostor, my dear? No, no; that's nonsense, you know." He was rather relieved to find May talking nonsense. That seemed much more normal and natural in a girl of her age than being so deuced logical and high-strung, and that sort of thing. "That," he repeated firmly, "is really nonsense." "But, Uncle Frederick, I was appearing before everybody under false pretences. People thought--I thought myself--that my father supplied all my expenses." Mr. Dormer-Smith pursed up his mouth and puffed out his breath with a little contemptuous sound. Then he answered-- "Your father! My dear May, your father hasn't paid a penny piece for you since you were seven years old." May was silent for a minute or so. She could not help some bitter thoughts of her father, but it was not for her to utter them. At length she said-- "I cannot go on accepting my grandmother's sacrifice, Uncle Frederick. I will not." It occurred to Mr. Dormer-Smith, as it had occurred to his wife, that May's affection for Mrs. Dobbs might supply the fulcrum they wanted for their lever. He answered-- "Well, my dear, I don't blame your feeling, though it is a little overstrained, perhaps. But you have it in your own power to more than pay back all Mrs. Dobbs has done for you." "How?" asked May innocently. "Why, I am sure Mr. Bragg would be only too delighted----" "Oh, Mr. Bragg! I was not thinking of Mr. Bragg, and I would rather not talk of him just now." This was a little too much. Mr. Dormer-Smith's face assumed a very serious, not to say severe, expression as he looked at his niece and said-- "Excuse me, May, but you must think of him, and talk of him also. That was the subject I sent for you to speak about. I don't know how we have drifted away from it. Your aunt tells me that you have not actually refused Mr. Bragg, but merely stopped him from proposing to you. Now, if that is the case, the matter is not past mending. No doubt Mr. Bragg may feel a little offended." "He is not in the least offended," interposed May. "Ah! Well, so much the better. But you can hardly expect me to believe that he particularly enjoyed the interview! Mr. Bragg is a person of a great deal of importance in the world, and not accustomed to be treated as if he were of no consequence. However," proceeded Mr. Dormer-Smith, relaxing into a milder tone, "I dare say he can make allowances for a young lady taken by surprise--it seems you did not expect his proposal?" "Expect it! How on earth could I have expected it?" "Some girls would. However, let us stick to the point. I don't think it is too late for you to make everything well again."