I should never have allowed myself to keep even the shred of a belief in woman's honesty!" She started, and flamed into a heat of protest.
"Mr.Helmsley!" He raised a deprecatory hand.
"Pardon me!" he said wearily--"I am an old man, accustomed to express myself bluntly.

Even if I vex you, I fear I shall not know how to apologise.

I had thought----" He broke off, then with an effort resumed-- "I had thought, Lucy, that you were above all bribery and corruption." "Bribery ?--Corruption ?" she stammered, and in a tremor of excitement and perturbation her fan dropped from her hands to the floor.

He stooped for it with the ease and grace of a far younger man, and returned it to her.
"Yes, bribery and corruption," he continued quietly.

"The bribery of wealth--the corruption of position.