"I suppose you meant young Evers, Captain Clephane ?" "I did indeed, Sir John.

I had to tell him the truth in order to restrain him." The old judge raised his eyebrows.
"Then you hadn't to tell him it before?
You are certainly consistent, and I rather admire your position as regards the lady.

But I am not so sure that it was altogether fair toward the lad.

It is one thing to stand up for the poor soul, my dear sir, but it would be another thing to let a nice boy like that go and marry her!" So that was the opinion of this ripe old citizen of the world! It ought not to have irritated me as it did.

It would be Catherine's opinion, of course; but a dispassionate view was not to be expected from her.