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 from his possible inroads.

&quot;Do you think it quite fair to have deceived her in that way?&quot;

Mr. Orme gave her a puzzled glance: he had no taste for the by-paths of ethical conjecture.

&quot;His people wanted to give the poor fellow another chance: they did the best they could for him.&quot;

&quot;And—he has done nothing dishonourable since?&quot;

&quot;Not that I know of: the last I heard was that they had a little boy, and that he was quite happy. At that distance he's not likely to bother us, at all events.&quot;

Long after Mr. Orme had left the topic, Kate remained lost in its contemplation. She had begun to perceive that the fair surface of life was honeycombed by a vast system of moral sewage. Every respectable household had its special arrangements for the private disposal of family scandals; it