“Has your candidate seen this?” Courtier asked.
“Can't have,” struck in the third Committee-man; “we hadn't seen it ourselves until an hour ago.”
“I should never have permitted it,” said the man with the refined face; “I blame the editor greatly.”
“Come to that——” said the little-eyed man, “it's a plain piece of news. If it makes a stir, that's not our fault. The paper imputes nothing, it states. Position of the lady happens to do the rest. Can't help it, and moreover, sir, speaking for self, don't want to. We'll have no loose morals in public life down here, please God!” There was real feeling in his words; then, catching sight of Courtier's face, he added: “Do you know this lady?”
“Ever since she was a child. Anyone who speaks evil of her, has to reckon with me.”
The man with the refined face said earnestly:
“Believe me, Mr. Courtier, I entirely sympathize. We had nothing to do with the paragraph. It's one of those incidents where one benefits against one's will. Most unfortunate that she came out on to the green with Lord Miltoun; you know what people are.”
“It's the head-line that does it;” said the third Committee-man; “they've put what will attract the public.”
“I don't know, I don't know,” said the little-eyed man stubbornly; “if Lord Miltoun will spend his evenings with lonely ladies, he can't blame anybody but himself.”
Courtier looked from face to face.