"And what did you do, Dick? I should think you'd learned by this time to let the gossip of a public-house go in at one ear and out of the other." "Yes--for certain. I learned to do that before you were born; but when things are said up against those I value and respect, it's different. I've told three men they were liars, to-day, and I may have to tell thirty so, to-morrow." Raymond felt his heart go slower. "What the deuce is the matter?" "Just this: they say you promised to marry a mill girl at Bridetown and--the usual sort of thing--and, knowing you, I told them it was a lie." The young man uttered a scornful ejaculation. "Tell them to mind their own business," he said. "Good heavens--what a storm in a teacup it is! They couldn't bleat louder if I'd committed a murder." "There's more to it than to most of these stories," explained Richard. "You see it sounds a very disgraceful sort of thing, you being your brother's right hand at the works." "I'm not that, anyway." "Well, you're an Ironsyde, Mister Raymond, and to have a story of this sort told about an Ironsyde is meat and drink for the baser sort. So I hope you'll authorise me to contradict it." "Good God--is there no peace, even here?" burst out Raymond. "Can even a man I thought large-minded and broad-minded and all the rest of it, go on twaddling about this as if he was an old washer-woman? Here--get me my bill--I've finished. And if you're going to begin preaching to people who come here for their food and drink, you'd better chuck a pub and start a chapel." Mr. Gurd was stricken dumb. A thousand ghosts from the grave had not startled him so much as this rebuke. Indeed, in a measure, he felt the rebuke deserved, and it was only because he held the rumour of Raymond's achievements an evil lie, that he had cautioned the young man, and with the best motives, desired to put him on his guard. But that the story should be true--or based on truth--as now appeared from Raymond's anger, had never occurred to Richard. Had he suspected such a thing, he must have deplored it, but he certainly would not have mentioned it. He went out now without a word and held it the wisest policy not to see his angry customer again that night. He sent Raymond's account in by a maid, and the young man paid it and went out to keep his appointment with Miss Ironsyde.