n he parted with Diablo for a trivial thousand dollars; and it was
my fault, for I arranged the sale. Your father's needs--pardon me, but I
know his position, being his banker--yes, he needs this money badly."

"My father needs a good many things, Mr. Crane, which he would not
accept as a gift; he would be the last man to do so. We must just go
on doing the best we can, and if we can't succeed, that's all. We can't
accept help, just yet, anyway."

She was bitter; the reference to her father's troubles, though meant
partly in kindness, angered her. It caused her to feel the meshes of the
net drawing closer about her, and binding her free will. The fight was
indeed on. More than ever she determined to struggle to the bitter end.
Almost indefinably she knew that to accept this money, plausible as the
offering was, meant an advantage to Crane.

"You can't leave this large sum with the bookmaker," he objected. "He
would like nothing better; he would laugh in his sleeve. I can't take
it; it isn't mine."

"I won't touch it."

"Perhaps I had better speak to your father about it," said Crane,
tentatively; "he can have no objection to accepting this money that has
been won."

"Father won't take it, either," answered the girl; "I know his ideas
about such matters. He won't take it."

Crane brought all his fine reasoning powers to bear on Allis, but failed
signally in his object. He was unaccustomed to being balked, but the
girl's firm determination was more than a match for his adaptable
sophistry. He had made no headway, was quite beaten, when Dixon's
opportune return prevented absolute discomfiture. Crane left shortly,
saying to Allis as he bade them good night: "I'm sorry you look upon
the matter in this light. My object in coming to-night was to give you a
little hope for brightness in your gloomy hour of bad luck; but perhaps
I had better speak to your father."

"I'd rather you didn't," she answered, somewhat pleadingly. "Dr.
Rathbone has cautioned us all against worrying father, and this could
have no other result than but to distress him."

Allis's letter had been completed, but she now added a postscript,
telling her mother briefly of Crane's insistence over the bet, and
beseeching her to devise some plan for keeping this new disturbing
element from her father.

Crane was remaining over night in Gravesend, and, going back to his
quarters, he reviewed the evening's campaign. He had expected opposition
from Alli