he would have told you?"

"Perhaps he would have, but what opportunity was he given? A few hours
later, he was found dead in that chair over there; the chair in which
he sat while he was talking with his unknown visitor."

The young man sprang to his feet. "You can't realize what you are
saying; what you are hinting! It is unthinkable! If you let these
morbid fancies prey upon your mind, you will be really ill." His tones
were full of horror. "Your father died of heart-disease. The doctors
and the coroner established that beyond the shadow of a doubt, you
know. Any other supposition is beyond the bounds of possibility."

"Of heart-disease, yes. But might not the sudden attack have been
brought on by his altercation with this man? His sudden rage,
controlled as it was, at the insults hurled at him?"

"What insults, Anita? Tell me what you heard when you crept down the
stairs. You know you can trust me, dear--you must trust me."

"The man was saying: 'Come, Lawton, be sensible; half a loaf is better
than no bread. There is no blackmail about this, even if you choose to
call it so. It is an ordinary business proposition, as you have been
told a hundred times!'"

"'It's a damnable crooked scheme, as I have told you a hundred times,
and I shall have nothing to do with it! This is final!' Father's tones
rang out clearly and distinctly, quivering with suppressed fury. 'My
hands are clean, my financial operations have been open and
above-board; there is no stain upon my life or character, and I can
look every man in the face and tell him to go where you may go now!'

"'Oh, is that so!' sneered the other man loudly. Then his voice became
insinuatingly low. 'How about poor Herbert--' His tones were so
indistinct that I could not catch the name. Then he went on more
defiantly, 'His wife--' He didn't finish the sentence, Ramon, for
father groaned suddenly, terribly, as if he were in swift pain; the
man gave a little sneering laugh, and I could hear him moving about in
the library, whistling half under his breath in sheer bravado. I could
not bear to hear any more. I put my hands over my ears and fled back
to my room. What could it mean, Ramon? What is this about father and
some other man and his wife which the stranger dared to insinuate!
reflected upon father's integrity? Why should he have groaned as if
the very mention of these people hurt him inexpressibly?"

"I don't know, dear." Ramon Hamilton sat with his honest eyes