“Yes. Well, his wife--who was his cousin, Annie Fairchild, and who took the Burfield school after I left it to study law--she happens to be an angel. She is the sort of woman who, when you know her, enables you to understand all the exalted and sublime things that have ever been written about her sex. Well, a year or so after she married Seth and went to live in Tecumseh, she came to hear about poor Jessica Lawton, and her woman’s heart prompted her to hunt the girl up and give her a chance for her life. I don’t know much about what followed--this all happened a good many months ago--but I get a letter now from Seth, telling me that the girl is resolved to come home, and that his wife wants me to do all I can to help her.” “Well, that’s what I call letting a friend in for a particularly nice thing.” “Oh, don’t misunderstand me,” said Reuben; “I shall be only too glad if I can serve the poor girl. But how to do it--that’s what troubles me.” “Her project is a crazy one, to begin with. I wonder that sane people like the Fairchilds should have encouraged it.” “I don’t think they did. My impression is that they regarded it as unwise and tried to dissuade her from it. Seth doesn’t write as if he thought she would succeed.” “No, I shouldn’t say there was much danger of it. She will be back again in Tecumseh before Christmas.” After a pause Horace added, in a confidential way: “It’s none of my business, old fellow; but if I were you I’d be careful how I acted in this matter. You can’t afford to be mixed up with her in the eyes of the people here. Of course your motives are admirable, but you know what an overgrown village is for gossip. You won’t be credited with good intentions or any disinterestedness, believe me.” This seemed to be a new view of the situation to Reuben. He made no immediate answer, but walked along with his gaze bent on the track before him and his hands behind his back. At last he said, with an air of speaking to himself: “But if one does mean well and is perfectly clear about it in his own mind, how far ought he to allow his course to be altered by the possible misconceptions of others? That opens up a big question, doesn’t it?” “But you have said that you were not clear about it--that you were all at sea.” “As to means, yes; but not as to motives.” “Nobody but you will make the distinction. And you have your practice to consider--the confidence of your clients. Fancy the effect it will have on them--your turning up as the chief friend and patron of a--of the Lawton girl! You can’t afford it.” Reuben looked at his companion again with the same calm, impassive gaze. Then he said slowly: “I can see how the matter presents itself to you. I had thought first of going to the dépôt to meet her; but, on consideration, it seemed better to wait and have a talk with her after she had seen her family. I am going out to their place now.”