that she would give worlds not to have spoken. Why had she spoken?

"I understand what he means; but I don't believe a man in John Baker's
place could help himself," she said quietly.

"Of course he couldn't!" cried Mrs. Lawford. "There, Mr. Gorham, you
have lost your champion. What have you to say now?" A murmur of
approval went round the table.

"I appreciate my loss, but I fear I have nothing to add to what has
been said already," he replied, with smiling firmness. "Although in a
pitiful minority, I shall have to stand or fall by that."

"Ah, but when it came to action we know that under all circumstances
Mr. Gorham would be his father's son!" said Mrs. Lawford, with less
than her usual tact, though she intended to be very ingratiating.
Gorham's father, who was conspicuous for gallantry, had been killed in
the Civil War.

Gorham bowed a little stiffly, feeling that there was nothing for him
to say. There was a pause, which showed that the topic was getting
threadbare. This prompted the host to call his wife's attention to the
fact that one of the candles was flaring. So the current of
conversation was turned, and the subject was not alluded to again,
thereby anticipating Mr. Carter, who, having caught Miss Newbury's
eye, was about to philosophize further on the same lines.

During the twelve months following his visit at the Lawfords' the
attentions of George Gorham to Emily Vincent became noticeable. He had
loved her for three years in secret; but the consciousness that he was