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 she say a partisan or an accomplice? A dim jealousy stirred beneath Mrs. Peyton's other emotions: she was undergoing the agony which the mother feels at the first intrusion on her privilege of judging her child; and her voice had a flutter of resentment.

&quot;You must have a poor opinion of his character,&quot; she said.

Miss Verney did not remove her eyes, but her blush deepened beautifully. &quot;I have, at any rate,&quot; she said, &quot;a high one of his talent. I don't suppose many men have an equal amount of moral and intellectual energy.&quot;

&quot;And you would cultivate the one at the expense of the other?&quot;

&quot;In certain cases—and up to a certain point.&quot; She shook out the long fur of her muff, one of those silvery flexible furs which clothe a woman with a delicate sumptuousness. Everything about her, at the moment, seemed rich and cold—everything, as Mrs.