I despise that kind of thing quite as much as you do.«
    They looked at each other. Buckland had a sullen air.
    »Yes, in your own way,« he replied, »you are sincere enough, I have no
doubt. I wish all women were so.«
    »What exception have you in mind?«
    He did not seem inclined to answer.
    »Perhaps it is your understanding of them that's at fault,« added Sidwell,
gently.
    »Not in one case, at all events,« he exclaimed. »Suppose you were asked to
define Miss Moorhouse's religious opinions, how would you do it?«
    »I am not well enough acquainted with them.«
    »Do you imagine for a moment that she has any more faith in the supernatural
than I have?«
    »I think there is a great difference between her position and yours.«
    »Because she is hypocritical!« cried Buckland, angrily. »She deceives you.
She hasn't the courage to be honest.«
    Sidwell wore a pained expression.
    »You judge her,« she replied, »far too coarsely. No one is called upon to
make an elaborate declaration of faith as often as such subjects are spoken of.
Sylvia thinks so differently from you about almost everything that, when she
happens to agree with you, you are misled and misinterpret her whole position.«
    »I understand her perfectly,« Buckland went on, in the same irritated voice.
»There are plenty of women like her - with brains enough, but utter and
contemptible cowards. Cowards even to themselves, perhaps. What can you expect,
when society is based on rotten shams?«
    For several minutes he pursued this vein of invective, then took an abrupt
leave. Sidwell had a piece of grave counsel ready to offer him, but he was
clearly in no mood to listen, so she postponed it.
    A day or two after this, she received a letter from Sylvia. Miss Moorhouse
was anything but a good correspondent; she often confessed her inability to
compose anything but the briefest and driest statement of facts. With no little
surprise, therefore, Sidwell found that the envelope contained two sheets all
but covered with her friend's cramped handwriting. The letter began with apology
for long delay in acknowledging two communications.
    »But you know well enough my dilatory disposition. I have written to you
mentally at least once a day, and I hope you have mentally received the results
- that is to say, have assured yourself of my goodwill to you, and
