man is in the business and knows his business and is trying to do the
decent thing and the acceptable artistic thing, too, if I do say it,
he is entitled to be taken seriously and--and trusted. There are
incompetent men--rascals even--in my calling. What I contend is that
you'd no right to assume that I wouldn't do the inevitable thing
decently merely because you saw me there. For, if you only knew it, I
was saying to myself at that very moment that for a funeral it was the
most tastefully handled I ever attended."

"It is the inevitable thing; that's just it. My manners were bad to
begin to with, and later--" Dryden leaned forward with his elbows on
the table and his head between his hands, scanning his eager
companion.

"Don't mention it. You see, it was a matter of pride with me. And now
it's up to me to state that if there's anything in particular you'd
like me to mention about the deceased gentleman or lady----"

Dryden sighed at the reminder, "One of the loveliest and most
pure-hearted of women."

"That shall go down," said the reporter, mistaking the apostrophe for
an answer, and he drew a note-book from his side pocket.

Dryden raised his hand by way of protest. "I was merely thinking
aloud. No, we must trust you."

Harrington bowed. He hesitated, then by way of noticing the plural
allusion in the speech added: "It was your young lady's look which
wounded me the most. And she said something. I don't suppose you'd