"Quite! In that case, I think we may finish our little interview." "Have you nothing to say?" asked Mrs. Jackson indignantly, realising that she had not triumphed after all. "I? Nothing." Mrs. Jackson was perplexed, and still those disconcerting eyes were fixed upon her; she angrily resented their polite contempt. "Well, I think it's disgraceful!" she cried. "You must be utterly shameless!" "My dear lady, you asked me to listen to you, and I have. If you thought I was going to argue, I'm afraid you were mistaken. But since you have been very frank with me, you can hardly mind if I am equally frank with you. I absolutely object to the way in which not only you, but all the persons who took part in that ridiculous function the other day, talk of my private concerns. I am a perfect stranger to you, and you have no business to speak to me of my engagement with Miss Clibborn or the rupture of it. Finally, I would remark that I consider your particular interference a very gross piece of impertinence. I am sorry to have to speak so directly, but apparently nothing but the very plainest language can have any effect upon you." Then Mrs. Jackson lost her temper. "Captain Parsons, I am considerably older than you, and you have no right to speak to me like that. You forget that I am a lady; and if I didn't know your father and mother, I should say that you were no gentleman. And you forget also that I come here on the part of God. You are certainly no Christian. You've been very rude to me, indeed." "I didn't mean to be," replied James, smiling. "If I'd known you would be so rude to a lady, I should have sent Archibald to speak with you." "Perhaps it's fortunate you didn't. I might have kicked him." "Captain Parsons, he's a minister of the gospel." "Surely it is possible to be that without being a malicious busybody." "You're heartless and vain! You're odiously conceited." "I should have thought it a proof of modesty that for half an hour I have listened to you with some respect and with great attention." "I must say in my heart I'm glad that Providence has stepped in and prevented Mary from marrying you. You are a bad man. And I leave you now to the mercies of your own conscience; I am a Christian woman, thank Heaven! and I forgive you. But I sincerely hope that God will see fit to punish you for your wickedness." Mrs. Jackson bounced to the door, which James very politely opened. "Oh, don't trouble!" she said, with a sarcastic shake of the head. "I can find my way out alone, and I shan't steal the umbrellas." XIII