CONFIDENCE
Miss Evers strolled on, and her Captain, of course, kept pace with her, so that Bernard and Miss Vivian were left standing together. He looked at her a moment in silence, but her eye still avoided his own.
"You are remarkably inconsistent," Bernard presently said. "You take a solemn vow of seclusion this afternoon, and no sooner have you taken it than you proceed to break it in this exorbitant manner."
She looked at him now—a long time—longer than she had ever done before.
"This is^part of the examination, I suppose," she said.
Bernard hesitated an instant.
"What examination?"
"The one you have undertaken—on Mr. Wright's behalf."
"What do you know about that?"
"Ah, you admit it, then?" the girl exclaimed, with an eager laugh.
"I don't in the least admit it," said Bernard, conscious only for the moment of the duty of loyalty to his friend, and feeling that negation here was simply a point of honour.
"I trust more to my own conviction than to your denial. You have engaged to bring your superior wisdom and your immense experience to bear upon me! That's the understanding."
"You must think us a pretty pair of wiseacres," said Bernard.
"There it is—you already begin to answer for what I think. When Mr. Wright comes back you will be able to tell him that I am 'exorbitant'!" And she turned away and walked on, slowly following her companions.
"What do you care what I tell him?" Bernard asked. "You don't care a straw."
93
