zed Ketchim.

"That," interposed Ames with cruel significance, "is a matter which he
will explain in court."

Fleeting visions of the large blocks of stock which he had sold; of
the widows, orphans, and indigent clergymen whom he had involved; of
the notes which the banks held against him; of his questionable deals
with Mrs. Hawley-Crowles; and of the promiscuous peddling of his own
holdings in the now ruined company, rushed over the clouded mind of
this young genius of high finance. His tongue froze, though his
trembling body dripped with perspiration. Somehow he got to his feet.
Somehow he found the door, and groped his way to a descending
elevator. And somehow he lived through that terror-haunted day and
night.

But very early next morning, while his blurred eyes were drinking in
the startling report of the Simiti Company's collapse, as set forth in
the newspaper which he clutched in his shaking hand, the maid led in a
soft-stepping gentleman, who laid a hand upon his quaking shoulder and
read to him from a familiar-looking document an irresistible
invitation to take up lodgings in the city jail.

* * * * *

There were other events forward at the same time, which came to light
that fateful next day. It was noon when Mrs. Hawley-Crowles, after a
night of mingled worry and anger over the deliberate or unintentional
exclusion of herself and Carmen from the Ames reception the preceding
night, descended to her combined breakfast and luncheon. At her plate
lay the morning mail, including a letter from France. She tore it
open, hastily scanned it, then dropped with a gasp into her chair.

"Father--married to--a French--adventuress! Oh!"

The long-cherished hope of a speedy inheritance of his snug fortune
lay blasted at her feet.

The telephone bell rang sharply, and she rose dully to answer it. The
call came from the city editor of one of the great dailies. "It is
reported," said the voice, "that your ward, Miss Carmen Ariza, is the
illegitimate daughter of a negro priest, now in South America. We
would like your denial, for we learn that it was for this reason that
you and the young lady were not included among the guests at the Ames
reception last evening."

Mrs. Hawley-Crowles's legs tottered under her, as she blindly wandered
from the telephone without replying. Carmen--the daughter of a priest!
Her father a negro--her mother, what? She, a mulatto, illegitimate--!