Gordon stared at her with such genuine astonishment that the
girl lowered her eyes, and, bending forward in her chair,
twirled her parasol nervously between her fingers.

"What do I know against him? Why, Patty!" he exclaimed. "How
did you meet him, in Heaven's name?" he asked, roughly. "Have
you been seen with him? Have you known him long? Who had the
impudence to present him?"

Mrs. Carson looked up, now thoroughly alarmed. Her lower lip
was trembling, and she twisted her gloved hands together in
her lap.

"What do you know against him?" Miss Carson repeated, meeting
Gordon's look with one as full of surprise as his own.

The young man regarded her steadily for a few moments, and
then, with a change of manner, as though he now saw the
situation was much more serious than he had at first supposed,
drew up a chair in front of the two women and seated himself
deliberately.

"Has he borrowed any money from you yet?" he asked. Miss
Carson's face flushed crimson and she straightened her
shoulders and turned her eyes away from Gordon with every sign
of indignation and disapproval. The young man gave an
exclamation of relief.

"No? That's good. You cannot have known him so very long. I