"Poor Mr. Malleson! To be so beset. But if Miss Chichester is not engaged to him I do not see that I owe her anything." She turned suddenly to her hostess. "Miss Tracy, would you think it my duty to forbid Mr. Malleson to see me?"
"I don't know why it should be. Do you?"
"No. Only that I'm not in his class, that I have nothing against him, that he appears to be an extremely well-intentioned young man, and that his association with me, slight as it has been, has already subjected him to much criticism."
"Those are not good reasons, Mrs. Bradley. Barry cares nothing for criticism. The fact that he is well-intentioned prevents any unjust reflections upon you. And, so far as I am concerned, I should be delighted to see you become intensely and permanently interested in each other. As I view the matter, in the light of my present beliefs, I think it is just such relationships that modern society needs for its regeneration."
"Thank you! That is practically what Mr. Farrar said to me."
"Did he talk with you about Barry?"
"Incidentally."
"And he approved of Barry's interest in you?"
"He appeared to."
"I hope you will follow his advice, Mrs. Bradley."
But Mrs. Bradley evidently did not care to continue the discussion of this particular subject. At any rate she changed the topic of conversation abruptly by saying:
"I came to tell you how brave and wise I think you are, Miss Tracy."
Ruth looked up questioningly, and her visitor continued:
"I mean in the matter of breaking your engagement. I don't want to intrude into your personal affairs, but I felt that I must tell you how greatly I admire your courage."
