He took
to cards in a manner that frightened even me, used as I was to his
weaknesses. And in all these things his friend encouraged and indulged
him.

"The end was not far off. How could it be? Your father's luck waned
and his debauches increased. He grew nervous and worried. But he
persisted in his mode of life. Then, in a little while, I knew that he
was borrowing. He never touched your money. But he was borrowing
heavily. This man whom I had come to regard as his evil genius
undoubtedly lent him money--much money. Then came a particularly bad
time. For two days Charles Stanmore went about like a madman. What the
trouble was I never knew--except that it was a question of money. And
this terminated in the night of disaster toward which everything had
been driving."

Mercy Lascelles' voice dropped to a low, ominous pitch, and she paused
as though to draw all the threads of memory into one firm grasp. Her
look, too, changed. But it was a change quite unnoticed by Joan.

"It was one night in the apartment. I had gone to bed. They, your
father and his--friend, were in the parlor. They had quarreled during
the evening over some money affairs which I did not understand. Your
father was headstrong, as he always was, and the other, well, he
rarely raised his voice--he was one of those quiet men who disguise
their purposes under a calm atmosphere--as a rule. However, on this
occasion high words had passed, and I knew that stormy feelings were
underlying the calm which finally ensued. At last, when they sat down
to a heavy game of baccarat, I crept away to bed.

"I don't know how long I had been in bed when it happened. I know I
was asleep, for I wakened suddenly with a great sense of shock, and
sat up trying to realize what had happened. It took me some moments. I
know my mind ran over a dozen things before I decided what to do. I
remembered that we were alone in the place. The servants had been
dismissed more than a week before. There was only you, and your
father, and me in the place. Then I remembered that his friend was
there, and I had left them playing cards. Instantly I got out of bed.
I slipped on a dressing-gown and crept out into the passage. I moved
silently toward the door of the sitting-room. It was wide open. I had
left it shut. The gas was full on. I reached the door and cautiously
peered in. But there was no need for caution. Your father had fallen
forward in his chair, and lay with his head, face downward