not present."

"Yes," growled Howard; "I don't see how he does it. He travels on his
cheek, principally, I guess. His name was among those present at my
stepmother's musicale the other night." Bitterly he added: "That's how
the world goes. There is no place for me under my father's roof, but
that blackguard is welcomed with open arms!"

"I thought your father was such a proud man," interrupted Annie. "How
does he come to associate with people like Underwood?"

"Oh, pater's an old dolt!" exclaimed Howard impatiently. "There's no
fool like an old fool. Of course, he's sensible enough in business
matters. He wouldn't be where he is to-day if he weren't. But when it
comes to the woman question he's as blind as a bat. What right had a
man of his age to go and marry a woman twenty years his junior? Of
course she only married him for his money. Everybody knows that except
he. People laugh at him behind his back. Instead of enjoying a quiet,
peaceful home in the declining years of his life, he is compelled to
keep open house and entertain people who are personally obnoxious to
him, simply because that sort of life pleases his young wife."

"Who was she, anyway, before their marriage?" interrupted Annie.

"Oh, a nobody," he replied. "She was very attractive looking, dressed
well and was clever enough to get introductions to good people. She
managed to make herself popular in the smart set and she needed money to
carry out her social ambitions. Dad--wealthy widower--came along and she
caught him in her net, that's all!"

Annie listened with interest. She was human enough to feel a certain
sense of satisfaction on hearing that this woman who treated her with
such contempt was herself something of an intriguer.

"How did your stepmother come to know Robert Underwood?" she asked. "He
was never in society."

"No," replied Howard with a grin. "It was my stepmother who gave him the
entree. You know she was once engaged to him, but broke it off so she
could marry Dad. He felt very sore over it at the time, but after her
marriage he was seemingly as friendly with her as ever--to serve his own
ends, of course. It is simply wonderful what influence he has with her.
He exercises over her the same fascination that he did over me at
college. He has sort of hypnotized her. I don't think it's a case of
love or anything like that, but he simply holds her under his thumb and
gets her to do anything he wants. She invites him to her house,