as enabled or led her to penetrate beneath the commands to the reason of them, or emboldened her to rely on the latter rather than the former, she had never wavered in the view that at least these commands may and should be observed, and that, above all, by a man whose profession it was to inculcate them.  This much of genuine disapproval of Stafford’s conduct she undoubtedly felt; and there it would be pleasant to leave the matter.  But in the commanding interest of truth it must be added that this genuine disapproval was, unconsciously perhaps to herself, strengthened by more mundane feelings, which would, if analyzed, have been resolved into a sense of resentment against Stafford.  He had come to her, as it were, under false pretenses.  Relying on his peculiar position, she had allowed herself, without scruple, a freedom and expansion in her relations toward him that she would have condemned, though perhaps not abstained from, had he stood exactly where other men stood; and she felt that, if charged with encouraging him and fostering a delusion in his mind, her defense, though in reality a good one, was not one which the world would accept as justifying her.  She could not openly plead that she had flirted with him, because she had never thought he would flirt with her; or allowed him to believe she entertained a deeper regard for him than she did because he could be supposed to feel none for her.  Yet that was the truth; and perhaps it was a good defense.  And Claudia was resentful because she could not defend herself by using it, and her resentment settled upon the ultimate cause of her perplexities.

When Eugene got back to Territon Park he was received by the brothers with unaffected interest.  They were passing the morning in an exhaustive medical inspection of the dogs, but they left even this engrossing occupation, and sauntered out to meet him.

“Well, what luck?” asked Rickmansworth.

“The debate is adjourned,” answered Eugene.

“Did Clau make herself agreeable?”

“Well, no; in fact she made herself as disagreeable as she knew how.”

“Raised Cain, did she?” inquired Bob sympathetically.

“Something of the sort; but I think it’s all right.”

“You play up, old man,” said Bob.

“Well, but what the devil are we to do with this parson?” Lord Rickmansworth demanded.  “He’ll be here after lunch, you know.  You are an ass, Eugene, to bring him down!”

“I’m not quite sure, you know, that he won’t persuade her.”

“Why didn’t you settle it this morning?”

“My dear fellow, she was impossible this morning.”

“Oh, bosh!” said his lordship.  “Now I’ll tell you what you ought to have done—­”

“Oh, shut up, Rick!  What do you know about it?  Stafford must try his luck, if he likes.  Don’t you fellows bother about him.  I’ll see him when he comes down.”

“Would it be infernally uncivil if we happened to be out in the tandem!” suggested Rickmansworth.