contents."

"I am."

"It gives the bulk of my fortune to my son here."

"Why, yes," admitted the Judge with increasing bewilderment.

"His share amounts to two millions, or thereabouts."

"Thereabouts."

Mrs. De Peyster took two rustling, majestic steps toward her
fireplace. "Until my son gives me very definite assurance that his
conduct will be more suitable to me and my position, he is no longer
my son." And so saying she tossed the will upon the fire. She allowed
a moment of effective silence to elapse. "That is all, Jack. You are
excused."

Jack stood and watched the flaming will flicker down to a glowing ash.
One bandaged hand slowly smoothed his blond hair.

"Gee! I've seen people burning up money, and I've burnt up quite a bit
myself, but I never saw two millions go as quick! Well, mother," he
sighed, shaking his head, "I never suspected I'd end in such a little
blaze. With such a pile I could have made a bigger bonfire than that."

CHAPTER IV

A SLIGHT PREDICAMENT

For several moments after Jack had withdrawn, Mrs. De Peyster stood in
majestic silence beside the mantelpiece.

"We will forget this incident, Judge Harvey," she said at length. "Be
seated, if you please."

Judge Harvey took a chair, as ordered. Out in the world, Judge Harvey
was a disconcerting personality, though a respected one; a judge who
had resigned his judgeship, with the bold announcement that law-courts
were in the main theaters for farces; a thinker who rejected all
labels, who was daring enough to perceive and applaud what was good
even in the conventional.

"But, Caroline," he began hesitantly, "weren't you perhaps a little
too stern with Jack?"

"As I said, Judge Harvey, I do not care to explain the situation."

"I understood it--a little--anyhow. See here, you don't want Jack to
grow up to be a member of that geranium-cheeked, leather-chair brigade
that stare out of Fifth Avenue Club windows, their heaviest labor
lifting a whiskey-and-soda all the way up to their mouths?"

"I certainly do not propose to accept the alternative he proposed!"
she retorted. "I assure you, such severity as I used was necessary.
Nothing will bring a young man to his senses so quickly and so surely
as having his resources cut off." Her composure, her confidence in her
judgment, were now fully returned. "Jack will come around all right.
What I did was imperative to save myself; and certainly it was best
for him."

"I trust so.