Festing spread out his hands. "Certainly. What can I do? Charnock
hustled me into it; he has a way of getting somebody else to do the
things he shirks. But I gave him my word."

"And that's binding!" remarked Muriel, who was half amused by his
indignation. She thought Charnock deserved it, but Festing could be
trusted.

"I wish I could ask your advice," he resumed. "You could tell me what to
say; but as I don't know if Charnock would approve, it mightn't be the
proper thing."

Muriel was keenly curious to learn the truth about her friend's love
affair, but she resisted the temptation. Because she liked Festing, she
would not persuade him to do something for which he might afterwards
reproach himself.

"No," she said, "perhaps you oughtn't to tell me. But I don't think you
need be nervous. If you have the right feeling, you will take the proper
line."

Then they went into the house where the curate was talking to Gardiner.



CHAPTER VI

FESTING KEEPS HIS WORD