ook after her as Denham had
requested. Meantime he did his best to console Portia.

"I am sorry to hear of your father's death," he said sympathetically.
Portia looked at him indignantly.

"Why should you say that?" she demanded; "you were not his friend."

"No. I certainly was not. All the same I cannot help regretting that a
man with such great gifts should have wasted them in the way he did, and
should have put an end to himself."

"There was nothing else for him to do," said the girl mournfully. "He
was to be taken to gaol as soon as his leg was better. The police could
not move him immediately, or he would have been put in gaol long ago.
But he's dead now, and I'm glad. Whatever you may say of him, Mr. Ware,
he was my father, and good to me. Yes, and he was good to Anne also.
She'll tell you so."

"I am sure he was," answered Giles gently. "Your father had his good
points, Portia. How much of his sad history do you know?"

"I know he had his faults," she replied doggedly, "and that he was very
badly treated by that beast Morley. I'm glad Morley is dead."

"How do you know he is?" asked Giles sharply.

"Father got a telegram yesterday from Steel. Steel promised to let him
know if Morley was caught, as father hated him so. When the telegram
came saying that Morley was drowned, father said that he had nothing
left to live for, and that he was quite pleased to die. Then he sent me
out of the room and took poison. I came back in an hour," sobbed Portia,
"and found him dead. He looked so handsome as a corpse."

Giles shivered at this morbid speech, but made no comment thereon. He
saw that Portia knew very little, and was determined in her own mind to
know no more. She had elevated her dead father to the rank of a hero,
and would not listen to a word against him. Ware thought there must have
been a great deal of good in Denham, despite his evil career, seeing
that he had gained the good will of both Portia and Anne. But he had no
time to talk further to Portia on these points, as a card was brought in
to him, and he learned that Mrs. Morley was waiting to see him. He said
a few final words to Portia.

"How do you stand?" he asked.

"Anne will look after me," she answered. "I don't suppose you'll be mean
enough to put her against me."

"Why should I?" said Giles mildly. "I am only too glad to help you in
any way I can. But this money your father----"

"That is all right. Father saw Mr. Asher, the lawyer, and