He spoke of Benson.

"I know the man," said Farron; of Honaton, "He was in my office once." Wayne told how Mathilde, and then he himself, had tried to inform Mrs.Farron of the definiteness of their plans to be married.
"How long has this been going on ?" Farron asked.
"At least ten days." Farron nodded.

Then Wayne told of the discovery of the proof at the printer's and his hurried meeting in the park to tell Mathilde.

Here Farron stopped him suddenly.
"What was it kept you from going through with it just the same ?" "You're the first person who has asked me that," answered Pete.
"Perhaps you did not even think of such a thing ?" "No one could help thinking of it who saw her there--" "And you didn't do it ?" "It wasn't consideration for her family that held me back." "What was it ?" Pete found a moral scruple was a difficult motive to avow.
"It was Mathilde herself.

That would not have been treating her as an equal." "You intend always to treat her as an equal ?" Wayne was ashamed to find how difficult it was to answer truthfully.