than you realize--"

The financier stamped his foot and replied angrily:

"Miss Rossmore! That name seems to confront me at every turn--for
years the father, now the daughter! I'm sorry, my dear," he went
on more calmly, "that you seem inclined to listen to Jefferson. It
only encourages him in his attitude towards me. Kate would make
him an excellent wife, while what do we know about the other
woman? Are you willing to sacrifice your son's future to a mere
boyish whim?"

Mrs. Ryder sighed.

"It's very hard," she said, "for a mother to know what to advise.
Miss Green says--"

"What!" exclaimed her husband, "you have consulted Miss Green on
the subject?"

"Yes," answered his wife, "I don't know how I came to tell her,
but I did. I seem to tell her everything. I find her such a
comfort, John. I haven't had an attack of nerves since that girl
has been in the house."

"She is certainly a superior woman," admitted Ryder. "I wish she'd
ward that Rossmore girl off. I wish she--" He stopped abruptly as
if not venturing to give expression to his thoughts, even to his
wife. Then he said: "If she were Kate Roberts she wouldn't let
Jeff slip through her fingers."

"I have often wished," went on Mrs. Ryder, "that Kate were more
like Shirley Green. I don't think we would have any difficulty
with Jeff then."

"Kate is the daughter of Senator Roberts, and if this marriage is
broken off in any way without the senator's consent, he is in a
position to injure my interests materially. If you see Jefferson
send him to me in the library. I'll go and keep Roberts in good
humour until he comes."

He went downstairs and Mrs. Ryder proceeded to her apartments,
where she found Jefferson chatting with Kate. She at once
delivered Ryder Sr.'s message.

"Jeff, your father wants to see you in the library."

"Yes, I want to see him," answered the young man grimly, and after
a few moments more badinage with Kate he left the room.

It was not a mere coincidence that had brought Senator Roberts and
his daughter and the financier's son all together under the Ryder
roof at the same time. It was part of Jefferson's well-prepared
plan to expose the rascality of his father's secretary, and at the
same time rid himself of the embarrassing entanglement with Kate
Roberts. If the senator were confronted publicly with the fact
that his daughter, while keeping up the fiction of being engaged
to Ryder Jr., was really preparing to run off with the