him. "What's wanted?"

"Come to the library at eight o'clock. I want to speak to you. I will be
much better then. Don't forget."

Grant promised, and with the help of the butler and the gardener his
father was carried to the library and placed upon a couch, where he was
left by himself in spite of his sister's expostulations.

She was a widow, as Mr. Mackerly was a widower, and they made their home
together in that magnificent residence on the hill back of Whipford.

Promptly on the chime of eight, Grant marched into the library, and
found his father, pale but steady, seated at the secretary, busily
examining a heterogenous mass of papers.

"Are you better, father?" he asked, solicitously.

"Don't you see I am?" was the cross response. "That spell was only
temporary. I am afraid of them, as they are coming on more frequently.
Doctor Sedgwick tells me I must take more exercise or I'll fall sick in
earnest."

"I thought you took plenty," said Grant, guardedly.

His father did not seem to hear his remark, but went on searching busily
among the papers. Grant grew impatient and asked:

"Well, what do you want of me, father?"

"Oh, yes, I did ask you to come in, Grant, didn't I?" he replied, as if
just recollecting the fact. "Why, what were we talking about when that
dizzy feeling came over me? Do you remember the conversation?"

"Why, of course," replied the son, considerably astonished at his
parent's alleged forgetfulness. "It was about that little affair between
Alan Heathcote and myself. Just as I told you he denied his father owed
you anything, you fainted, and I hadn't a chance to finish. You--"

"Oh, I remember!" interrupted Mr. Mackerly. "You told me he stated that
he had an envelope containing papers, didn't you?"

"Not that I know of," answered Grant. "I never said anything about an
envelope, and he didn't, either. He said he had papers to prove that you
owed his father money, and that's all. There was something more about
witnesses--just what it was I don't recollect."

"Well, you had quite a wordy quarrel. What else did he say?"

The tone of anxiety with which this was asked was but barely concealed.

"Oh, all sorts of tough things, together with that little imp, Dick
Percy!" responded Grant, bluntly. "But I gave them as good as I got, and
don't you mistake. Pretty soon that big chump Teddy Taft came up and put
in his say, and, as I couldn't stand up against three, I took my leave."

"From what