What did it mean? There must be some basis for the insinuation--some fact that was suspicious on its face. He did not want to mistrust Pendleton; he would _not_ mistrust him; he would frankly tell him what Porshinger had said and accept his explanation or denial. Pendleton was fond of Stephanie--had been fond of her before the marriage--had stood by her nobly since her return. It was not credible. It was a scheme of that miserable brute to embroil him with Stephanie's best friend.--Yet he would like to have Pendleton's denial. He would feel better--yes, decidedly better. There would be a satisfaction in having the denial--in hearing it. He got up and crossed over to where Pendleton and Emerson were sitting. The latter remained a few moments, then excused himself, on the plea of having to dress for golf, and went off to the locker-rooms. Both Lorraine and Pendleton were silent--the former staring at the floor, the latter gazing through his cigarette smoke out on the links, which were beginning to fill with players. "Well--it's done!" said Lorraine presently. "Not exactly," Pendleton replied. "I should say it's only begun." "The beginning is done, at any rate," Lorraine returned. "It's easy to start something, but it's quite another thing to finish it." "No doubt about that--the difficulty with me hitherto has been that I never started. Now----" "Now it is a question whether it wouldn't be better if you _hadn't_ started." "Do you think so?" demanded Lorraine. "Candidly, I don't know what to think," said Pendleton. "It's such a miserable mess all through. We want to do the best for Stephanie, but I admit _I'm_ not competent to judge what the best is under the circumstances. However, the attack has been made--it only remains now to fight it out on your plan. Have you any plan, Lorraine?" "Plan!" answered Lorraine vaguely. "No--I've no plan--other than to punish Porshinger for his dirty conduct toward Stephanie, and to meet Dolittle's nasty tale with the truth." "Very good!" nodded Pendleton, "but that is the conclusion, not the plan. What if Porshinger fights--and is supported by Dolittle? What if he says that Stephanie was willing and that he did not use force?" "I'll take Stephanie's word in preference to a thousand Porshingers and Dolittles!" Lorraine declared. "And so will I--but will a jury? You have not consulted counsel, I suppose?" "No--I've not consulted anyone. I acted solely on my own responsibility because I was satisfied it was right." "And what is more important to Stephanie--will the public accept her word and believe it?" Pendleton reflected. "Certainly it will. I haven't a bit of doubt of it." Pendleton shrugged his shoulders. "I wish I had your assurance," he replied. "There is only one thing about it that isn't doubtful, to my mind." "What is that?" Lorraine demanded impatiently. "That Stephanie will be damned utterly unless her story is accepted."