s motive clearly enough. Her motive is worthy of all
commendation, but not her method. She is not so much to blame for this
as her father, and perhaps her mother, who appears a weak, spiritless
woman, a faint echo of her husband. It is here that the infernal Wall
Street atmosphere comes in that she has breathed all her life. Does it
not puzzle you, in view of my relations to her, that she should be out
driving with Arnault?"

"Yes, Graydon, it does."

"Well, Arnault is a money-lender, and I am satisfied that in some way
he has her father in his power. Many of these brokers are like cats.
They will hold on to anything by one nail, and the first thing you
know they are on their feet again all right. As soon as Wildmere makes
a lucky strike in the stock-market he will extricate himself and his
daughter at the same time. Of course these things are not formulated
in words, in a cold-blooded way, I suppose. Arnault has long been a
suitor that would take no rebuff. I am satisfied that she has
refused him more than once, but he simply persists, and gives her
to understand that he will take his chances. This was the state of
affairs when I came home, and she, no doubt, feels that if she can
save her father, and keep a home for her mother and the little one,
she ought to retain her hold on Arnault. After all, it is not so bad.
Many women marry for money outright, and all poor Stella proposes is
to be complaisant toward a man who would not continue his business
support to one whose daughter had just refused him."

Madge was silent.

"You wouldn't do such a thing, I suppose."

"I couldn't, Graydon," she said, simply. "If I should ever love a man
I think I could suffer a great deal for his sake, but there are some
things I couldn't do."

"I thought you would feel so."

"Why don't you help her father out?" Madge faltered.

"I don't think I have sufficient means. I have never been over-thrifty
in saving, and have not laid by many thousands. I have merely a
good salary and very good prospects. You can't imagine how slow and
conservative Henry is. In business matters he treats me just as if
I were a stranger, and I must prove myself worthy of trust at every
point, and by long apprenticeship, before he will give me a voice in
affairs. He says coming forward too fast is the ruination of young
men in our day. Nothing would tempt him to have dealings with Mr.
Wildmere, and I couldn't damage myself more than by any transactions
on