o the clouds and
the circling columns of steam a mauve quality as if the world, instead
of night, faced the birth of a dawn, new, abnormal, frightening.

He had to make one more effort with Dalrymple before sending Lambert to
Sylvia with his reasons why she shouldn't marry the man. In the
singular, unreal light he glanced at his hands. He had to see Dalrymple
once more first----

He turned and snapped on the lights.

"What are you going to do?" Lambert asked. "There's no likely way to
catch him down town."

A clerk tip-toed in. George swung sharply.

"What is it, Carson?"

"Mr. Dalrymple's outside, sir. It's so late I hesitated to bother you,
but he said it was very important he should see you, sir."

George sighed.

"Wait outside, Carson. I'll call you in a moment."

And when the door was closed he turned to Lambert.

"I'm going to see him here--alone."

"Why?" Lambert asked, uneasily. "I don't quite see what you're up to. No
more battles of the ink pots!"

"Please get out, Lambert; but maybe you'd better hang about the office.
I think Dicky's gone for the night. Wait in his room."

"All right," Lambert agreed.

George opened the door, and, as Lambert went through reluctantly,
beckoned the clerk.

"Send Mr. Dalrymple in, Carson."

He stood behind his desk, facing the open door. Almost immediately the
doorway was blocked by Dalrymple. George stared, trying to value the
alteration in the man. The weak, rather handsome face was bold and
contemptuous. Clearly he had come here for blows of his own choosing,
and had just now borrowed courage from some illicit bar, but he had
taken only enough, George gathered, to make him assured and not too
calculating. He was clothed as if he had returned from an affair, with a
flower in his buttonhole, and a top hat held in the hand with his stick
and gloves.

"Come in!"

Dalrymple closed the door and advanced, smiling.

Not for a moment did George's glance leave the other. He felt taut, hard
to the point of brittleness.

"It's fortunate you've come," he said, quietly. "I've just been trying
to get hold of you."

"Oh! Then Lambert's been here!" Dalrymple answered, jauntily.

George nodded.

"You've been crooked, Dalrymple. Now we'll have an accounting."

Dalrymple laughed.

"It's what I've come for; but first I advise you to hold your temper.
It's late, but there are plenty of people still outside. Any more rough
stuff and you'll spend the night in a cel