few men of my--well, my attractions! Why not say it bluntly?--few men of
my attractions, placed as I have been, would have made so few--but I
shall never be found shirking their consequences--it is not in my
nature, thank God, to let another bear the burden--I can always be a
man!--"

"But, old boy--you must think of poor Nancy--not of me!" Again he felt
the hurt of her suspicion.

"True--compassion requires that I think of her rather than of my own
pride--and I have--but, you see, it's too late. I committed myself
before I knew she didn't _know_!"

"Let her believe it is still a mistake--"

"No, no--it would be trickery--and it's impracticable--I as good as
confessed to her, you see--unless"--he brightened here and stopped in
his walk--"unless she could be made to believe that I meant to shield
you!"

"That's it! Really, you are an executor, Allan! Now we'll put the poor
girl easy in her mind again. I'll tell her you did it to shield me. You
know it's important--what Nancy thinks of you, old chap--she's your
wife--and--it doesn't matter a bit how meanly--she thinks of me--of
course not. I dare say it will be better for me if she _does_ think
meanly of me--I'll tell her at once--what was it I did?"

"No--no--she wouldn't believe you now. I dislike to say this, Bernal,
but Nancy is not always so trusting as a good woman should be--she has a
habit of wondering--but--mind you, I could only consent to this for the