t forceful enough to
erupt so disastrously. He was decent----"

"I know nothing definite." The passion had died down. It was again an
old and weary man who spoke. "I only know that she believes he's
abandoning her and that it makes her wretched. She wants him back; if
there's any way of getting him back, she must have him. I never denied
anything to my girls. If money will persuade him, it's for you to find
out how much. If this Lockwood woman has a price, let her state it. I'll
spare nothing. Though everything else has lost its value, money still
has the power to purchase. I can't buy back faithfulness and loyalty;
but I should be able to buy the appearance of it. If I were you I would
tackle this Lockwood woman first."

He tossed the stub of his cigar towards the fire. It fell short in the
grate. He picked it up and rammed it deep into the burning coals. He
looked a poor, old, pitiful child, uttering embittered heresies. "All
women are mercenary; all of them except my wife and daughters. Ah, yes,
and Lady Dawn."

Tabs wondered what Lady Dawn had done to gain exemption from this
sweeping accusation. "I'll see this Maisie Lockwood to-morrow," he said,
"if you can tell me where she lives."

Sir Tobias had risen and was seating himself at his desk. "I'll copy you
out her address. I have it somewhere buried among these papers."

He had hidden it so thoroughly that it took a few minutes to find. As he
rustled sundry sheets and stooped over them round-shouldered, Tabs had
time to reflect. Terry! Where was she? She was so little and unprotected
and white. Would a day ever come when a man would play her false? At
this moment he had it in his power to prevent that day from ever
arriving.

"Ah, here it is!" It was his host talking. Then the painful scratching
of the pen commenced.

"Sir Tobias, I want to speak to you about Terry." The scratching of the
pen stopped, but the shoulders remained bowed. "This is an unfortunate
night for me to choose to talk to you about her, but---- To tell the
truth, I feel that if I don't speak to-night I may lose my chance."

"What do you want to say about her?" The shoulders had unhunched
themselves, but the head had not turned.

"Only this, that I've loved her for a very long while and that if you
don't think I'm too old, I should like your permission to ask her to
marry me."

Tabs thought to himself with a glow of satisfaction, "At last I've done
it. And done it in just the way and