Tresslyn sharply. Her eyes narrowed as she
looked into his. "You ought to get down on your knees and thank God that
you are not married to that--"

"Wait a second, mother," he broke in. "I'm afraid I shall have to ask you
to let her alone, now that you're rid of her, just as I'm expected to let
old Tempy slide by without noticing him."

"Nonsense," again said Mrs. Tresslyn, but this time with less confidence
in her voice. She looked intently into her son's set face and fear was
revived in her soul, an ever-present fear that slept and roused itself
with sickening persistency.

"We'll hang her up in the family closet, if you don't mind, alongside of
Brady Thorpe, and we'll never mention her again if I can help it. I must
say, though, that our skeletons are uncommonly attractive, aren't they,
Anne? No dry, rattling bones in our closets, are there?" He squeezed her
arm playfully, and was amazed when she jerked it away.

"I was nice to you, George, and this is the way you--"

"Forgive me, please. I didn't mean it in an offensive way. I just took it
for granted that we'd understand each other. At any rate, we've got one
thing to be thankful for. There are no Wintermill skeletons hanging in our
closets. We've both succeeded in dodging them, praise the Lord."

It so happened that Percy's excessively homely sister had been considered
at one time as a most desirable helpmate for the rapidly developing
George, and it is barely possible that the little mustard girl upset a
social dynasty.

CHAPTER VI

Mr. Thorpe was as good as his word. He arranged for the meeting between
Braden and Anne, but with characteristic astuteness laid his plans so that
they were to come upon each other unexpectedly. It happened on the second
day after his talk with Braden.

Mr. Thorpe's plan involved other people as well as the two most vitally
interested. There was to be a meeting at his house late in the afternoon
for the purpose of signing the ante-nuptial contract already agreed upon.
Five o'clock was the hour set for the gathering. Lawyers representing both
parties were to be there, with Mrs. Tresslyn, George and Anne, and Mr.
Thorpe's private secretary, who, with Dr. Bates, was to serve as a witness
to the instrument.

At noon Wade delivered a letter to Miss Tresslyn in which Mr. Thorpe said
that he would be pleased if she would accompany him to Tiffany's for the
purpose of selecting a string of pearls. He made it quite clear that