"To both of us, brother. I tell you there has been nothing between
us--never anything except the most flawless idealism. I admit that at
the moment Nancy observed us the circumstances were unluckily such that
an excitable, morbidly suspicious woman might have misconstrued them. I
will even admit that a woman of judicial mind and of unhurried judgments
might not unreasonably have been puzzled, but I would tear my heart open
to the world this minute--'Oh, be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as
snow, thou shalt not escape calumny!'"

"If I follow you, old chap, Nancy observed some scene this afternoon in
which it occurred to her that I might have been an actor." There was
quick pain, a sinking in his heart.

"She had reason to know it was one of us--and if I had denied it was
I--"

"I _see_--why didn't you?"

"I thought she must surely have seen me--and besides"--his voice
softened with affection--"do you think, old chap, I would have shifted a
misunderstanding like that on to _your_ shoulders. Thank God, I am not
yet reduced to shirking the penalties of my own blameless acts, even
when they will be cruelly misconstrued."

"But you should have done so--It would mean nothing to me, and
everything to you--to that poor girl--poor Nance--always so helpless and
wondering and so pathetically ready to _believe_! She didn't deserve
that you take it upon yourself, Allan!"

"No--no, don't urge! I may have made mistakes, though I will say that