U., 'and dad, if you'll only do it just this once--just this
one last _once_!' he was saying when I interrupted him. 'I've no
time to listen now, and no inclination. I've important business to
attend to,' I said, then waved him aside and went into the study and
locked the door while I attended to the matter of applying the acid
test to the diamonds for the second time.

"Meanwhile, he had gone up to Lady Leake's boudoir to implore her to
use her influence with me, and he was still there when, after the
stones had again answered to the acid test, I carried the necklace up
there (to leave it in her charge for the brief time it would take me
to prepare the tools and materials for the work in hand) and told
her all about it. But I didn't know that at the time, Mr. Cleek, for
he was sitting in a deep, cushioned armchair at the far end of the
room, and the tall back of that chair was turned toward me. Indeed, I
hadn't the faintest suspicion that there was anybody but Lady Leake
and myself in the room until he got up suddenly and said, 'Dad,
you aren't too busy to listen now! Won't you let me ask you what I
was going to do downstairs? Won't you, dad? Please!'

[Illustration: Cleek hears that the fabulous "Ladder of Light" is
back in London again.]

[Illustration: Young Mawson overhears his parents discussing the
problem of the jewel. "He is extravagant to the point of insanity,"
said Sir Mawson.]

"Of course he had heard what I had said, Mr. Cleek--although I never
gave a thought to that at the time--and as Lady Leake had, womanlike,
taken the gorgeous necklace out of the case, held it up to her neck
and was then viewing herself in her dressing mirror, it followed
that he also saw. But how could I dream of there being anything in
that to regret, and he a son of mine? It was only--afterward--when
it came back to my memory----Good God! it is too horrible to
think of even now, much less to talk about!"

"Steady, steady, Sir Mawson!" sounded Cleek's soothing voice. "Brakes
on! Sidetrack your emotions if you can and stick to the mainline!
Well, what followed?"

"I have no very clear recollection, Mr. Cleek, for just then Lady
Leake chose to add her entreaties to his, and to ask me if I would
permit her to draw her next quarter's pin money in advance and
let her take up the I. O. U. for him. But I was so furious at the
thought of his skulking in like a beggar and a cad, and trying to
'bleed' her, that I flew into a violent r