nd it would be quite like
Charles to hasten matters with a view to blocking Kirkwood's
investigations of the Holton estate. Jealousy and anger surged in his
heart. The air of the room stifled him.

"You've lost your mind; that's the only way I can explain you. If you
were quite sane, you wouldn't forget the part our father's brother
played in Phil's mother's affairs."

"Don't take that tragic tone with me; Uncle Jack's told me all about
that woman. She's the very devil. She led him a dog's life until he
chucked her."

Fred nodded, slowly drawing on his gloves, whose shabbiness affected his
brother disagreeably. Charles had expected to score heavily with his
declaration that Phil had promised to marry him; but this had apparently
been a wasted shot. He wondered whether he had misread the symptoms that
had seemed to indicate Fred's interest in that quarter.

Fred's composure was irritating. Charles was never sure what impression
he made on this quiet brother, whose very unresponsiveness had driven
him to disclosures he had not meant to make. He had managed the
interview clumsily; he was not up to the mark, or he would not have made
so many false starts in this talk, on whose results he had counted much.

His fingers touched his scarfpin and tie nervously.

"Now that you know the whole business I needn't ask you to keep your
mouth shut. But I suppose with your delicate sense of honor I'm safe."

"You are quite safe, Charlie. I'd repeat my advice if I thought it would
do any good. I'd turn that stuff over to Kirkwood as quickly as I
could."

He had opened the door and started down the hall when Charles, his
apprehensions aroused as he saw his brother's determined stride toward
the stairs, sprang after him.

"What are you up to; where are you going?" he demanded excitedly.

"Stop 7. Good-night!"

CHAPTER XXI

PHIL'S FISTS

"This is very kind of you, Mrs. Holton. Please be sure that I appreciate
it."

Charles Holton bowed profoundly, and lifted his head for a closer
inspection of Mrs. Lois Montgomery Holton.

He had called for Phil, whom he had engaged to escort to a lecture in
the Athenaeum Course. When his note proposing this entertainment reached
Phil, she dutifully laid it before her mother who lay on her bed reading
a French novel.

"Special delivery! A wild extravagance when there's a perfectly good
telephone in the house."

Lois read the note twice; her eyes resting lingeringly upon the