ctable old blighter! I say, what a joke! Oh, Andrew, Andrew,
my bonny, bonny boy!"

In silence through it all, Andrew gazed darkly down at the late Heriot
Walkingshaw.

CHAPTER VI

"When you have finished," said Andrew grimly.

He looked a nasty customer to tackle now, but the laugher on the sofa
merely subsided into a friendly smile.

"Shake hands, Andrew," he cried, jumping up.

Andrew placed his hands behind his back, and his glowering eyes answered
this overture.

"What!" said Heriot, "won't you even shake hands?"

Andrew still stared darkly.

"You'd rather have it war than peace?"

"I had rather conclude this conversation as soon as possible."

Heriot looked at him for a moment, and then shook his head with a smile
compounded of sorrow and humor.

"You're a hopeless case," said he. "Well, your blood be on your own
head!"

Andrew's lip grew longer and longer.

"I admit you've made a fool of me," he said, "if that's any
satisfaction. But you'll make nothing out of me; not a shilling, not a
halfpenny. Do you hear?"

"Is that all?"

"Practically; but I may just as well point out, to let you see where you
stand, that as you have now done your worst, there's no use trying on
blackmail or anything of that kind. You have been so very clever, you've
thrown away any hold you might fancy you had. Do you quite understand
that?"

Heriot began to smile again, and Andrew's face grew grimmer.

"You can prove _nothing_. You may say you're my father if you like--"

"God forbid!" Heriot interrupted devoutly. "I've had enough of fathering
a bogle. Claim any sire you like from Lucifer downwards, but don't put
the blame on me. I won't be disgraced with you again; not at any price."

For a few moments Andrew seemed to be in travail of a fitting repartee.
When it appeared it possessed all the practical characteristics of its
parent.

"In that case," he retorted, "you had better clear out of my house as
quick as you can."

Heriot regarded him with extreme composure.

"Do you actually imagine you are going to get off as easy as this?" he
inquired, "Man Andrew, I haven't been senior partner in Walkingshaw &
Gilliflower for nothing. You're just a rat in a trap. That's precisely
your position at this moment."

"I'd be glad to hear you explain how you make that out," said Andrew.

Heriot smiled humorously as he produced a bulky pocket-book. Out of this
he selected one of many letters it contained.

"D