e paced the lonely strand, Mr.
Daney made audible reference to the bells of the nether regions and
the presence of panther tracks! This was his most terrible oath and
was never employed except under exceptional circumstances.

At length Mr. Daney arrived at a decision. He would have nothing
further to do with this horrible love affair. In the role of Dan
Cupid's murderer he was apparently a Tumble Tom; for three months he
had felt as if he trod thin ice--and now he had fallen through! "I'll
carry no more of their messages," he declared aloud. "I'll tell them
so and wash my hands of the entire matter. If there is to be any
asking of favors from that girl the McKaye women can do it."

It was after midnight when he returned to his home and his wife was
sitting up to receive an explanation of his nocturnal prowlings.
However, the look of desperation with which he met her accusing glance
frightened her into silence, albeit she had a quiet little crying
spell next morning when she discovered on the floor of Mr. Daney's
room quite a quantity of sand which had worked into his shoes during
his agitated spring around Tyee Beach. She was quite certain he had
indulged in a moonlight stroll on the seashore with a younger and
prettier woman, so she resolved to follow him when next he fared forth
and catch the traitor red-handed.

To her surprise, Mr. Daney went out no more o' nights. He had kept his
word given to himself, and on the morning succeeding his extraordinary
interview with Nan he had again summoned the ladies of the McKaye
family to his office for a conference. However, the capable Elizabeth
was the only one of the trio to present herself, for this young
woman--and not without reason--regarded herself as Mr. Daney's mental
superior; she was confident of her ability to retain his loyalty
should he display a tendency to betray them.

"Well, dear Mr. Daney," she murmured in her melted-butter voice, "what
new bugaboo have you developed for us?"

"You do not have to bother calling upon the Brent girl, Miss
Elizabeth. She says now that if Donald asks her to marry him she'll
accept. She has an idea she'll be mistress of The Dreamerie."

Elizabeth arched her eyebrows. "What else?" she queried amiably.

"That's all--from Nan Brent. I have a small defi to make on my own
account, however, Miss Elizabeth. From this minute on I wash my hands
of the private affairs of the McKaye family. My job is managing your
father's financial