, and I will be glad to listen."

"I do, indeed," responded the young man. "I should not have dreamed of
intruding upon you without a very good reason."

Faith was almost sure it was the candy now, although she had been
assured by his father that he had been told nothing about it.

As she introduced him to her mother, she was anxious and excited, and
one conjecture as to his errand followed swiftly after another. When
they were seated Mr. Denton started at once on his errand, and as he
talked he gazed at Faith earnestly, as though trying to read her
emotion.

"My errand is a purely personal one," he began, "and you ladies may
think it a selfish one also, but the fact is I have come for a little
assistance. I want you, Miss Marvin, to help me reason with my father."

Faith made an exclamation of unfeigned surprise.

"I don't understand," she said slowly. "What is wrong with your father,
Mr. Denton?"

"That's what I'd like to know," was the emphatic answer, "but between
you and I, it's my opinion that he's crazy!"

Mrs. Marvin and Faith both stared at him curiously, for this time there
was more sadness than disrespect in his language.

"Listen to this," he went on quickly, "and see if I am not right! I will
put the situation before you without a particle of exaggeration."

"Wait!" said Mrs. Marvin. "What does all this concern us, sir? Are you
not doing wrong to talk to strangers about your father's business?"

A smile passed over the young man's features, and he turned toward Faith
with a glance of admiration.

"I think not," he said shortly, "and for this simple reason--he admires
your daughter above any girl that he has met; she has influenced him in
the past and can influence him again in the future. And he is sadly in
need of influence, I can assure you," he continued, "for, at the present
moment, he is on the verge of two things, they are the verge of
bankruptcy and the verge of insanity!"

Mrs. Marvin looked shocked, but Faith's brow became clearer. It was
coming to her now what was troubling young Denton.

The young man went on with hardly a perceptible pause, his face growing
more handsome and manly as he became interested and excited.

"My father to-day is worth a million dollars, a large percentage of it
having been made in his present business. He is prominent both in social
and business circles, and up to the present his ability has never been
questioned. To-day he has changed all this as far