Laura tried another tack. “All your friends think you wrong, even mamma.”

“What does that matter, as long as you think I’m right?”

“I don’t; I don’t. I think——”

“That it’s great fun to torment a poor man who——”

George paused.

“Who what?” said Laura, with deplorable weakness.

“Values your good opinion very highly.”

“Nonsense!”

George permitted himself to sigh deeply. A faint twitching betrayed itself about the corners of Laura’s pretty mouth.