"I can't believe that," he said. "There must be some other explanation.
Godfrey Mills say those things about you! It is incredible. My dear boy,
until it is proved, you really must not let yourself believe that to be
possible. You can't believe such wickedness against a man, one, too, whom
I have known and trusted for years, on no evidence. There is no direct
evidence yet. Let us leave that alone for the moment. What are you going
to do now?"

"I came here to see him," said Morris. "But I am told he is away. So I
thought it better to tell you."

"Yes, quite right. And what else?"

"I have written to Sir Richard, demanding, in common justice, that he
should see me, should tell me what he has heard against me, and who told
him. I don't think he will refuse. I don't see how he can refuse. I have
asked him to see me to-morrow afternoon."

Mr. Taynton mentally examined this in all its bearings. Apparently it
satisfied him.

"You have acted wisely and providently," he said. "But I want to beg you,
until you have definite information, to forbear from thinking that my
dear Mills could conceivably have been the originator of these scandalous
tales, tales which I know from my knowledge of you are impossible to be
true. From what I know of him, however, it is impossible he could have
said such things. I cannot believe him capable of a mean or deceitful
action, and that he should be guilty of such unfathomable iniquity is
simply out of the question. You must assume him innocent till his guilt