he had gone to Colfax, after
all. Instead of going to Boston; instead of keeping her word, she had
come down here to New York and gone to Colfax. Had she told him the full
story? Very likely Colfax, in spite of all his smooth words, would be
inclined to sympathize with her. What must he think of him? He was
rather conservative in a social way. Mrs. Dale could be of service to
him in her world in one way and another. He had never seen Colfax quite
so cool and deliberate as he was now. He seemed to be trying to maintain
an exceedingly judicial and impartial tone, which was not
characteristic.

"You have always been an interesting study to me, Witla, ever since I
first met you," he went on, after a time. "You're a genius, I fancy, if
there ever was one, but like all geniuses you are afflicted with
tendencies which are erratic. I used to think for a little while that
maybe you sat down and planned the things which you have carried through
so successfully, but I have since concluded that you don't. You attract
some forms of force and order. Also, I think you have various other
faculties--it would be hard for me to say just what they are. One is
vision. I know you have that. Another is appreciation of ability. I know
you have that. I have seen you pick some exceptional people. You plan in
a way, but you don't plan logically or deliberately, unless I am greatly
mistaken. The matter of this Dale girl now is an interesting case in
point, I think."

"Let's not talk of her," said Eugene frigidly and bridling slightly.
Suzanne was a sore point with him. A dangerous subject. Colfax saw it.
"That's something I can't talk about very well."

"Well, we won't," put in the other calmly, "but the point can be
established in other ways. You'll admit, I think, that you haven't been
planning very well in connection with this present situation, for if you
had been, you would see that in doing what you have been doing you have
been riding straight for a fall. If you were going to take the girl, and
she was willing, as she appears to be, you should have taken her without
her mother's knowledge, old man. She might have been able to adjust
things afterward. If not, you would have had her, and I suppose you
would have been willing to suffer the consequences, if you had been
caught. As it is, you have let Mrs. Dale in on it, and she has powerful
friends. You can't ignore her. I can't. She is in a fighting mood, and
it looks as though she were goi