d he arose immediately and
turned.

"You!" he gasped.

"Pardon the deception----"

"James! James!" Griffin thundered.

The servant was in the room instantly.

"Show this fellow the door!" Griffin commanded. "Look at him well, and
never admit him again!"

James took a step forward and indicated the door. But Sidney Prale
reached into the pocket of his coat, drew out an automatic pistol, and
held it menacingly.

"Close the door, James--softly!" he commanded in a stern voice. "Now
advance to the table and stand where I can watch you. Don't you make a
move, Mr. Griffin! I used to handle men down in Honduras, and I feel
confident that I can take care of this situation."

"You thug!" Griffin cried. "I'll have you sent up for this, Prale, if
it's the last thing I do!"

"I know that it is against the law to be carrying a gun without a
permit, but this situation demands a show of force," Prale said. "I
merely want you to listen to me for a moment, Mr. Griffin."

"I don't want to hear anything you may have to say to me, Sidney Prale!"
the financier said.

"You are going to hear it, nevertheless! Mr. Griffin, I did not know
until this afternoon why I had secret enemies and why they were trying
to cause me endless trouble. Miss Kate Gilbert was kind enough to
enlighten me."

"Well, sir?"

"I am sorry that you believe me guilty of such base ingratitude to you
and of such dishonorable conduct, for I am not guilty, Mr. Griffin! You
were like a father to me--which was enough to compel my loyalty--and,
aside from that, you had taught me several things regarding honor in
business deals. I went away on the spur of the moment because a woman
had jilted me. But before I went, I did not betray you and your
associates."

"A likely story!"

"But a true one, Mr. Griffin! I did not sell you out for a hundred
thousand dollars or any other sum. My conscience is clear, and I came
back to New York expecting to greet old friends and have a pleasant
time. You know what I found instead of that happy state of affairs. I am
not here to talk at length. I demand a chance to prove my innocence!"

"How can you do the impossible, sir?"

"It is not the impossible, Mr. Griffin! I intend to prove to you that I
was not disloyal, and then I shall prove that I had nothing to do with
the murder of Rufus Shepley. I have an idea, sir, what is behind all
this."

"We are wasting time----"

"I think not, sir! Time is not wasted in which a man