I know he would. Invite him to
come, please."

His astonishment was greater than ever.

"Invite him to come _here_?" he asked. "To see you?"

"No," hastily; "to see you. This is your home. I have no right to keep
your friends from visiting it. I know you would sacrifice everything
for me, even them; but I will not be so selfish as to allow it. Ask him
here, please. I really want you to."

He pulled his beard. "Caroline," he answered slowly, "I'm much obliged
to you. I understand why you're doin' this, and I thank you. But it
ain't likely that I'll say yes, is it? And do you suppose Jim would come
if I did ask him? He knows you believe he's a--well, all that's bad. You
told him so, and you sent him away. I will give in that I'd like to have
him here. He's one of the few men friends I've made since I landed
in New York. But, under the circumstances--you feelin' as you do--I
couldn't ask him, and he wouldn't come if I did."

She remained silent for a time. Then she said: "Uncle, I want you to
tell me the truth about Mr. Pearson and father--just why they
quarreled and the real truth of the whole affair. Don't spare my
feelings; tell me what you believe is the true story. I know you think
Mr. Pearson was right, for you said so."

The captain was much troubled.

"I--I don't know's I'd better, dearie," he answered. "I think I do know
the truth, but you might think I was hard on 'Bije--on your father. I
ain't. And I sympathize with the way he felt, too. But Jim did right, as
I see it. He acted just as I'd want a son of mine to do. And.... Well, I
cal'late we'd better not rake up old times, had we?"

"I want you to tell me. Please do."

"I don't know's I'd better. You have been told the story different,
and--"

"I know I have. That is the reason why I ask you to tell it. Oh," with
a flash of scorn, "I was told many stories, and I want to forget them.
And," sadly, "I can bear whatever you may tell me, even about father.
Since I learned that he was a--a--"

"S-sh, Caroline; don't!"

"After that, I can bear anything, I think. This cannot be worse."

"Worse! No, not! This ain't very bad. I will tell you, dearie. This is
just what happened."

He told her the exact truth concerning the Trolley Combine, his
brother's part in it, and Pearson's. She listened without comment.

"I see," she said when he had finished. "I think I see. Mr. Pearson felt
that, as a newspaper man, an honest one, he must go on. He knew that th