or fraudulent dealing which you, after three years of
careful sheltering, would no longer hide unless she gave her daughter to
you in marriage. For these days of wearing grief to Mrs. Whately you can
never atone. You and Tell, as I said a while ago, almost succeeded in
your scheme at Washington. To my view this is infinitely worse than
taking Irving Whately's property.

"All this has been impersonal to me, except as the wrongs and sorrows of
a friend can hurt. But I come now to my own personal interest. And where
that is concerned a man may always express himself."

Judson broke out at this point unable to restrain himself further.

"Baronet, you needn't mind. You and me have nothing in the world in
common."

My father held back a smile of assent to this.

"All I ever did was to suggest a good way for you to help Mrs. Whately,
best way in the world you could help her if you really feel so bad about
her. But you wouldn't do it. I just urged it as good for all parties.
That's it, just good for all of us; and it would have been, but I didn't
command you to it, just opened the way to help you."

My father did not repress the smile this time, for the thought of Judson
commanding him was too much to bear unsmilingly. The humor faded in a
moment, however, and the stern man of justice went on with his charge.

"You tried to bring dishonor upon my son by plans that almost won, did
win with some people. You adroitly set on foot a tale of disgraceful
action, and so well was your work done that only Providence prevented
the fulfilling of your plans."

"He is a fast young man; I have the evidence," Judson cried defiantly.
"He's been followed and watched by them that know. I guess if you take
Jean Pahusca's word about the goods you'll have to about the doings of
Phil Baronet."

"No doubt about Phil being followed and watched, but as to taking Jean
Pahusca's word, I wouldn't take it on oath about anything, not a whit
more than I would take yours. When a man stands up in my court and
swears to tell the truth the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, he
must first understand what truth is before his oath is of any effect.
Neither Jean nor you have that understanding. Let me tell you a story:
You asked Phil to escort Lettie Conlow home one night in August. About
one o'clock in the morning Phil went from his home down to the edge of
the cliff where the bushes grow thick. What took him there is his own
business. It is all writt