"She is damned if Dolittle's story is accepted. This is the only means she has of clearing herself--to fight openly. Unless"--he paused and looked hard at Pendleton--"unless she will consent to a reconciliation and resume her place as my wife." "I wish someone could persuade her of that," Pendleton answered instantly. "It is her best and wisest course. It would relieve the entire situation." "You will tell her so?" Lorraine demanded eagerly. "I _have_ told her so--many times within the last few weeks. I told her so to-day." "And she----?" Pendleton shook his head. "It doesn't seem to appeal to her, Lorraine." "I will do the next best thing--I'll stand by her," he exclaimed. "If she won't have me for husband, she can't object to the moral and active support of the man who has the first right to render it. Indeed, if I am with her, if I instituted the fight, what has Society to say?" "That is the proper attitude, Lorraine," Pendleton replied. "It will go far to sustain Stephanie's story." "I'll do everything in my power to make amends for the past," Lorraine went on. "Maybe it will soften her a little toward me." Pendleton said nothing. "There is one thing I wanted to ask you, Pendleton," he went on, after a moment's pause. "I trust that you won't misunderstand--that you'll take it in the right way." "Certainly, I'll take it in the right way," Pendleton answered heartily. He knew what was coming and was ready to meet it. Porshinger had not raised his voice in vain; though what he had intended for a threat was a warning also. "I want you to explain," said Lorraine, "what Porshinger meant when he said, just before he went off with the constable: 'I'm not in Amherst's class, but your dear friend Pendleton is--if you doubt it, you might ask him what your wife and he were doing on the Criss-Cross piazza, one night about five weeks ago.'--Don't imagine that I believe the scoundrel's insinuation for an instant--that you and Stephanie were guilty of even the most trifling indiscretion. I trust you, Pendleton--you're not one to be swept away by passion or sentiment--and I think that Stephanie has had enough to steady her permanently. Yet what did he mean? Was it just thrown out for viciousness, or was there something happened at Criss-Cross which his vile brain distorted into vileness? Can you guess--can you imagine what basis in fact he could have?" "My dear Lorraine, no basis in fact I can assure you," Pendleton answered very quietly. "I've been at Criss-Cross several times within the last five weeks when Stephanie was there. I was alone with her on the piazza repeatedly, by day and in the evening, but there wasn't a time when Gladys or any of the guests could not have overheard our conversation or seen our acts."