, as pale as he. "You drove me
into speaking that way."

"Perhaps I did, my boy. . . . I don't judge you. . . . If you ever find
you need help, come to me; and if you can't come, and still need me,
send for me. I'll do what I can--always. I know you better than you know
yourself. Good-bye."

He turned to the door; and Gerald burst out: "Why can't you let my
friends alone? I liked you before you began this sort of thing!"

"I will let them alone if you will," said Selwyn, halting. "I can't
stand by and see you exploited and used and perverted. Will you give me
one chance to talk it over, Gerald?"

"No, I wont!" returned Gerald hotly; "I'll stand for my friends every
time! There's no treachery in me!"

"You are not standing by me very fast," said the elder man gently.

"I said I was standing by my _friends_!" repeated the boy.

"Very well, Gerald; but it's at the expense of your own people, I'm
afraid."

"That's my business, and you're not one of 'em!" retorted the boy,
infuriated; "and you won't be, either, if I can prevent it, no matter
whether people say that you're engaged to her--"

"What!" whispered Selwyn, wheeling like a flash. The last vestige of
colour had fled from his face; and Gerald caught his breath, almost
blinded by the blaze of fury in the elder man's eyes.

Neither spoke again; and after a moment Selwyn's eyes fell, he turned
heavily on his heel and walked away, head bent, gray eyes narrowing to
slits.

Yet, through the brain's chaos and the heart's loud tumult and the
clamour of pulses run wild at the insult flung into his very face, the
grim instinct to go on persisted. And he went on, and on, for _her_
sake--on--he knew not how--until he came to Neergard's apartment in one
of the vast West-Side constructions, bearing the name of a sovereign
state; and here, after an interval, he followed his card to Neergard's
splendid suite, where a man-servant received him and left him seated by
a sunny window overlooking the blossoming foliage of the Park.

When Neergard came in, and stood on the farther side of a big oak table,
Selwyn rose, returning the cool, curt nod.

"Mr. Neergard," he said, "it is not easy for me to come here after what
I said to you when I severed my connection with your firm. You have
every reason to be unfriendly toward me; but I came on the chance that
whatever resentment you may feel will not prevent you from hearing me
out."

"Personal resentment," said Neergard slowl