ur share," Jasper Peyton returned
steadily, "and rather than quarrel with you further I would gladly
give you all. But I believe to shut one's eyes to justice is wrong,
even in such a matter as this."

The other's calm broke suddenly under the force of ungovernable anger.

"You will be sorry," he cried. "You will lose more than those fat
acres by the river and this fine house where you hoped to live so
happily--until I came. You won't give in, will you? Your high
principles--or your stubbornness--will still hold you back from giving
me what is mine? Then I can tell you that I will drag your good name
down where my own stands, I will publish that disgrace of mine that
you hushed up to save the family pride. You will have people looking
into your own past; they will be saying, 'If one of the family was
crooked, why not another?' There is always a pack of gossips and
scandalmongers who are only too glad to snap at the heels of any
prominent man. I will loose them all upon you, Jasper Peyton, every
one."

He stopped, perhaps to draw breath, while Cousin Jasper stood before
him, very silent and very white. The man's narrow eyes turned first to
Oliver who was bursting with unexpressed rage and then to Janet who
was regarding him with astonished and horrified disapproval.

"You do not like my way of talking?" he said to her. "I assure you
that all I have said is the truth."

"Then I should not think," she replied bluntly, "that you would have
many friends if you often tell them the truth in just that way."

"I have no friends," he declared. "Friends exist only to hurt you; it
is my belief that men prosper better alone. Have no illusions, trust
nobody, feel that every man's hand is against you, and then you will
know where you stand. That is my policy. Your soft-hearted cousin,
here--his one mistake is that he trusts every one, he likes everybody.
He even trusts me a little, on very small evidence, I can assure you.
He would hate me if he could, but, because we are of the same blood,
he cannot even bring himself to do that. Eh, Jasper, am I not right?"

"If you think you have said enough to these children," said Cousin
Jasper, wincing, but still quiet, "perhaps we had better discuss this
business further in some other room."

"Very well," returned the other, quite good-tempered again. "I should
be glad enough to have them hear the whole. But of course if there are
some things that you do not wish known----"

He walke