She thinks him absolute perfection; and, in fact, I
believe this escapade of hers to have been entirely founded on
precedents furnished by him."
"I think it is the most dreadful thing I ever heard of," said
Mrs. Treherne--"a child of that age alone in such a place!"
"Well, I really don't know," answered Graham, half laughing.
"I don't suppose it has done her much mischief; and of this I
am quite sure, that she had no idea of there being any more
harm in going to a gambling-table than in going for a walk."
"That appears to me the worst part of it, that a child should
have been brought up in such ignorance of right and wrong.
However, she can be taught differently."
"Certainly; but don't you think the teaching had better come
gradually?--it would break her heart, to begin with, to be told
her father was not everything she imagines--if indeed she could
be made to understand it just yet, which I doubt."
"Of course it would be cruel to shake a child's faith in her
father," answered Mrs. Treherne; "but she must learn it in
time. Monsieur Linders was one of the most worthless men that
ever lived, and Charles Moore was as bad, if not worse.
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