"What disgrace, Sir?"
"What disgrace? All the island seems to have heard of it. Is it necessary to tell you? Living secret, so they say, with a woman who isn't fit company for your mother and sisters."
"If anybody told you that, Sir," said Alick (his lower lip was trembling), "he told you a lie—a damned lie, Sir!"
"There!" cried Mrs. Gell, turning to her husband. "What did I say? It isn't true, you see."
"Of course it isn't true, mother; and the best proof that I'm not behaving dishonourably to Bessie Collister is that I intend to marry her."
It was a sickening moment for Mrs. Gell, and the Speaker, for an instant, was dumbfounded.
"Eh? What? You intend to marry...."
"Yes, Sir; and that's why I'm here to-day—to bring you the news, and to ask you to restore the allowance you cut down in the spring, you know."
"That .... that .... that bast—...."
"Archie!" cried Mrs. Gell, indicating their daughters.