the person it happened to tell it himself. I don't know! I was vain of
having heard it, so, at first hand."

"I can understand," said Hewson, sadly.

"And then I told her who the person was, and where it happened--and about
the burglary. You can't imagine how silly people get when they begin
going in that direction."

"I am afraid I can," said Hewson.

"She seemed very grateful somehow; I couldn't see why, but I didn't ask;
and then I didn't think about it again till I saw it in that awful
newspaper. She sent it to me herself; she was such a simpleton; she
thought I would actually like to see it. She must have written it down,
and sent it to the paper, and they printed it when they got ready to; she
needed the money, I suppose. Then I began to wonder what you would say,
when you remembered how I blamed you for telling the same story--only not
half so bad--at that dinner."

"I always felt you were quite right," said Hewson. "I have always thanked
you in my own mind for being so frank with me."

"Well, and what do you think now, when you know that I was ten times as
bad as you--ten times as foolish and vulgar!"

"I haven't had time to formulate my ideas yet," Hewson urged.

"You know perfectly well that you despise me. Can you say that I had any
right to give your name?"