e been so worried--why didn't you answer my letters? And _why_
didn't you meet me?"

She threw her arms about his neck, gazing anxiously into his eyes. He
had a blurred vision of Patsie, shrinking and white, turning from the
sight of the embrace, as he stammered explanations. Luckily Drake
himself broke the tension with an unexpected appearance and a bluff--

"Hello, Tom. Where have you been keeping yourself? Now that you're a
millionaire I expected you to come sailing in on a steam yacht! Well,
Doris, what do you think of your financier?"

"Mr. Drake, I've got something important I must talk over with you. Can
you see me for a few minutes now? It's very important. If you could--"

The tone in which he said these words, staring past them into the vista
of the salons, impressed each with the feeling of a crisis. Drake
halted, shot a quick glance from the young fellow to Doris, and said, as
he went out:

"Why, yes--of course. Come in now. Soon as you're ready. The
library--glad to see you."

At the same moment, with a last appealing glance, Patsie disappeared
behind the curtains. Doris came to him, startled and alarmed.

"You're not in trouble?" she said, wonder in her look. "Dad told me
you'd made a quarter of a million and that everything was all right.
That is true, isn't it?"

"Doris, everything is not all right," he said solemnly. "Whether I am to
keep my share or not depends on what answer your father gives to one
question I am going to ask him."

"What do you mean? You mean you would not accept--"

"Under certain circumstances I _can't_ accept this money--exactly that."

"But, Bojo, don't do anything rash--hastily," she said hurriedly. "Talk
it over with me first. Let me know."

"No," he said firmly. "This is my decision."

"At least let me come with you--let me hear!"

He shook his head. "No, Doris--not even that. This is between your
father and me."

"But our marriage," she said in desperation, following him to the door.

"Afterward--when I have seen your father, then we must talk of that."

The new decision in his voice and movement surprised and controlled her.
She raised her hand as though to speak, and found no word to utter in
her amazement. He went quickly through the salons, knocked, and went
into the library. Drake, with a premonition perhaps of what was coming,
was waiting impatiently, spinning the chain of his watch.

"Well, Tom, to the point. What is it?" he said imperiously.

"M