ly. "What is it you want of me?"

"I want you to hear Mr. Pearson's side of this business--and
mine--before you do anything you'll be sorry for."

"I think I've heard quite enough of Mr. Pearson already. Nothing he can
say or do will make me more sorry than I am, or humiliate me more than
the fact that I have treated him as a friend."

The icy contempt in her tone was cutting. Pearson's face was white, but
he spoke clearly and with deliberation.

"Miss Warren," he said, "I must insist that you listen for another
moment. I owe you an apology for--"

"Apology!" broke in Stephen, with a scornful laugh. "Apology! Well, by
gad! Just hear that, Caro!"

The girl's lip curled. "I do not wish to hear your apology," she said.

"But I wish you to hear it. Not for my attitude in the Trolley
matter, nor for what I published in the _Planet_. Nor for my part in
the disagreement with your father. I wrote the truth and nothing more. I
considered it right then--I told your father so--and I have not changed
my mind. I should act exactly the same under similar circumstances."

"You blackguard!" shouted Stephen. Pearson ignored him utterly.

"I do owe you an apology," he continued, "for coming here, as I have
done, knowing that you were ignorant of the affair. I believe now that
you are misinformed as to the facts, but that is immaterial. You should
have been told of my trouble with Mr. Warren. I should have insisted
upon it. That I did not do so is my fault and I apologize; but for that
only. Good evening."

He shook himself free from the captain's grasp, bowed to the trio, and
left the room. An instant later the outer door closed behind him.

Caroline turned to her brother. "Come, Steve," she said.

"Stay right where you are!" Captain Elisha did not request now, he
commanded. "Stevie, stand still. Caroline, I want to talk to you."

The girl hesitated. She had never been spoken to in that tone before.
Her pride had been already deeply wounded by what she had learned that
afternoon; she was fiercely resentful, angry, and rebellious. She was
sure she never hated anyone as she did this man who ordered her to stay
and listen to him. But--she stayed.

"Caroline," said Captain Elisha, after a moment of silence, "I presume
likely--of course I don't know for sartin, but I presume likely it's
Mrs. Dunn and that son of hers who've told you what you think you know."

"It doesn't concern you who told us!" blustered Stephen, pushing
fo