ve between two young
people is a pretty sacred thing, an' when old folks keep interferin' it
seems to me they're settin' themselves up to be wiser than God. Ma's
folks didn't care much for me."

"I feel a rebuke in your words," Gray said; "and no doubt I've earned
it, for it has always been my weakness to rearrange the lives of those
I love. But--who am I, after all? If I were so divinely wise, why is my
own life what it is? When I marry, perhaps I shall have to ask B--ask
the girl to ignore in me things as--as disagreeable to think about as
those which Buddy will have to ignore in Margie's past. That boy, in
fact all you Briskows, have put me so deeply in your debt that I'm
afraid I shall have to conquer my meddlesome instincts." The speaker
looked up suddenly. "You'll never know, by the way, how deep is my debt
of gratitude. When a vainglorious, supersensitive man finds himself
under a cloud, it is pretty nice to know that there is somebody whose
faith is unshakable; somebody who needs no legal proof that
he's--Proof! Here I am, back again right where I was when you came in;
back to my own selfish concerns. I can't get away from them. What to do
next? The Nelsons are on their last legs. The loss of this bank will
certainly destroy what credit remained, and even a good well now would
scarcely tide them over. But--damn it, Gus, I can't kick a man if he
refuses to stand up! I can't beat a corpse!"

There came a rap at the door, and the accountant whom Gray had put to
work upon the bank's books entered. "I'd like to talk to you about this
report," the man began.

"Don't go," Gray said, as Briskow unfolded his legs and rose.

But the president of the Security National shook his head, saying:
"Bookkeepin' is all Choctaw to me. I saw one statement an' I thought
'liquid assets' meant that bottle of whisky Bell left in his desk."

"Mr. Gray," the auditor announced, when they were alone, "I wish you'd
ask somebody else to take this job off my hands."

"Why?"

"Well, somebody else could probably do it better." There was a pause.
"I've known Bell Nelson all my life--"

"That is why I engaged you. You've been over these books before." Again
there was an instant of silence, then into Gray's face there flashed a
curious alertness. "Come!" he cried, sharply. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry to be the one to--" The auditor shrugged. "If you insist on
an explanation, I suppose I shall have to tell you. Perhaps it's just
as well, an