purchase for me, from Geoffrey
Croyden, at par, his Virginia Development Company bonds," she said.
"You can do it through your broker. I will give you a check, now----"

"Wait!" he said; "wait until he sells----"

"You think he won't sell?" she inquired.

"I think he will have to be satisfied, first, as to the purchaser--in
plain words, that it isn't either you or I. We can't give Geoffrey
money! The bonds are practically worthless, as he knows only too
well."

"I had thought of that," she said, "but, isn't it met by this very
plan? Your broker purchases the bonds for your account, but he,
naturally, declines to reveal the identity of his customer. You can,
truthfully, tell Geoffrey that _you_ are not buying them--for you're
not. And _I_--if he will only give me the chance--will assure him that
I am _not_ buying them from him--and you might confirm it, if he
asked."

"Hum! It's juggling with the facts--though true on the face," said
Macloud, "but it's pretty thin ice we're skating on."

"You are assuming he suspects or questions. He may take the two hundred
thousand and ask no question."

"You don't for a moment believe that!" he laughed.

"It _is_ doubtful," she admitted.

"And you wouldn't think the same of him, if he did."

"I admit it!" she said.

"So, we are back to the thin ice. I'll do what I can; but, you forgot,
I am not at liberty to give his address to my brokers. I shall have to
take their written offer to buy, and forward it to him, which, in
itself will oblige me, at the same time, to tell him that _I_ am not
the purchaser."

"I leave it entirely to you--manage it any way you see fit. All I ask,
is that you get him to sell. It's horrible to think of Geoffrey being
reduced to the bare necessities of life--for that's what it means, when
he goes 'where his income is sufficient for his needs.'"

"It's unfortunate, certainly: it would be vastly worse for a woman--to
go from luxury to frugality, from everything to relatively nothing is
positively pathetic. However, Croyden is not suffering--he has an
attractive house filled with old things, good victuals, a more than
competent cook, and plenty of society. He has cut out all the
non-essentials, and does the essentials economically."

"You have been there?" she demanded. "You speak of your own knowledge,
not from his inferences?"

"I have been there!" he answered.

"And the society--what of it?" she asked quickly.

"Better than our own!" he