Maud appeared suddenly before us from among these laurels, breathless.
"I got away after you, father. I—I wanted to find some strawberries—and—I wanted to speak to you."
"Speak on, little lady."
He linked her arm in his, and she paced between us up and down the broad walk—but without diverging to the strawberry-beds. She was grave, and paler than ordinary. Her father asked if she were tired?
"No, but my head aches. Those Coltham people do talk so. Father, I want you to explain to me, for I can't well understand all this that they have been saying about Lord Ravenel."
John explained, as simply and briefly as he could.
"I understand. Then, though he is Earl of Luxmore, he is quite poor—poorer than any of us? And he has made himself poor in order to pay his own and his father's debts, and keep other people from suffering from any fault of his? Is it so?"
"Yes, my child."
"Is it not a very noble act, father?"
"Very noble."