and her unlovely daughter, who sulked and hated, until they received a
call from Monsignor Lafelle. This was shortly after that gentleman's
meeting with Carmen and Father Waite in the Beaubien mansion. And he
left the Ames home with an ominous look on his face. "The girl is a
menace," he muttered, "and she deserves her fate."

The Ames grand reception, promising to be the most brilliant event of
the year, barring the famous _Bal de l'Opera_, was set for Thursday.
But neither Mrs. Hawley-Crowles nor Carmen had received invitations.
To the former it was evident that there was some mistake. "For it
can't be possible that the hussy doesn't intend to invite us!" she
argued. But Thursday morning came, and found Mrs. Hawley-Crowles
drenched with tears of anxiety and vexation. "I'd call her up and ask,
if I dared," she groaned. But her courage failed. And, to the
amazement of the exclusive set, the brilliant function was held
without the presence of its acknowledged leaders, Mrs. Hawley-Crowles
and her ward, the Inca princess.

* * * * *

On Wednesday night Harris arrived from Denver. His arrival was
instantly made known to J. Wilton Ames, who, on the morning following,
summoned both him and Philip O. Ketchim to his private office. There
were present, also, Monsignor Lafelle and Alonzo Hood. Harris and
Ketchim came together. The latter was observed to change color as he
timidly entered the room and faced the waiting audience.

"Be seated, gentlemen," said Ames genially, after cordially shaking
hands with them and introducing the churchman. Then, turning to
Harris, "You are on your way to Colombia, I learn. Going down to
inaugurate work on the Simiti holdings, I suppose?"

Harris threw a quick glance at Ketchim. The latter sat blank,
wondering if there were any portions of the earth to which Ames's long
arms did not reach.

"As a matter of fact," Ames continued, leaning back in his chair and
pressing the tips of his fingers together before him, "a hitch seems
to have developed in Simiti proceedings. I am interested, Mr.
Ketchim," turning suddenly and sharply upon that gentleman, "because
my brokers have picked up for me several thousand shares of the
stock."

Ketchim's hair began to rise.

"But," proceeded Ames calmly, "now that I have put money into it, I
learn that the Simiti Company has no property whatever in Colombia."

A haze slowly gathered before Ketchim's eyes. His