"It's difficult to explain, I'm afraid. I had a feeling that a man was
trying to do wrong, but I hoped that I was mistaken. It seemed to me
that circumstances compelled me to tell the convention all about it, but
I was very careful not to hint at my suspicion. Yet the moment I told
them they laughed."

"Why?"

"Because they felt sure that the man had done wrong."

"Oh!" It was a small exclamation, but the expression Miss De Voe put
into it gave it a big meaning. "Then they were laughing at Maguire?"

"At the time they were. Really, though, they were laughing at human
weakness. Most people seem to find that amusing."

"And that is why you were grieved?"

"Yes."

"But why did the papers treat you so badly?"

"Mr. Costell tells me that I told too much truth for people to
understand. I ought to have said nothing, or charged a bargain right
out, for then they would have understood. A friend of--a fellow I used
to know, said I was the best chap for bungling he ever knew, and I'm
afraid it's true."

"Do you know Costell? I thought he was such a dishonest politician?"