ed at him steadily.

"You heard what I said," she answered.

The old man leaned farther forward.

"So!" he cried; "so! I am not only doing you an injustice, but I am
a thief! Mr. Winthrop," he cried appealingly, "do you appreciate the
seriousness of this?"

Winthrop nodded cheerfully. "It's certainly pretty serious," he
assented.

"It is so serious," cried Mr. Hallowell, "that I welcome you into this
matter. Now, we will settle it once and forever." He turned to his
niece. "I have tried to be generous," he cried; "I have tried to be
kind, and you insult me in my own house." He pressed the button that
summoned the butler from the floor below. "Gentlemen, this interview is
at an end. From now on this matter is in the hands of my lawyer. We will
settle this in the courts."

With an exclamation of pleasure that was an acceptance of his challenge,
Miss Coates rose.

"That is satisfactory to me," she said. Winthrop turned to Mr.
Hallowell.

"Could I have a few minutes talk with Judge Gaylor now?" he asked. "Not
as anybody's counsel," he explained; "just as an old enemy of his?"

"Well, not here," protested the old man querulously. "I'm--I'm expecting
some friends here. Judge, take Mr. Winthrop to the drawing room
downstairs." He turned to Garrett, who had appeared in answer to his
summons, and told him to bring Dr. Rainey to the library. The butler
left the room and, as Gaylor and Winthrop followed, the latter asked
Miss Coates if he might expect to see her at the "Office." She told him
that she was now on her way there. Without acknowledging the presence
of her uncle, she had started to follow the others, when Mr. Hallowell
stopped her.

After they were alone, for a moment he sat staring at her, his eyes
filled with dislike and with a suggestion of childish spite. "I might as
well tell you," he began, "that after what you said this morning, I will
never give you a single dollar of my money."

The tone in which his niece replied to him was no more conciliatory than
his own. "You cannot give it to me," she answered, "because it is not
yours to give." As though to add impressiveness to what she was about
to say, or to prevent his interrupting her, she raised her hand. So
interested in each other were the old man and the girl that neither
noticed the appearance in the door of Dr. Rainey and the butler, who
halted, hesitating, waiting permission to enter.

"That money belongs to me," said Miss Coates slowly, "and