kept
heaping more and more of his securities on the pyre of his ambition
and pride in himself, until he was forced to obtain large loans. That
he did seek and obtain such loans I can prove to you at the present
moment, in one instance at least, for it was through me the affair was
negotiated. I think he fully realized his enormous error, but refused
to admit it even to himself, and strove by sheer force of will-power
to carry a hopeless scheme to success."

"Sought loans! He--Pennington Lawton required loans and obtained them
through you?" Ramon almost started from his chair. "Mr. Mallowe, you
will forgive me, but I can scarcely credit it. I know, of course, that
financiers, even those who conduct their operations on a far lesser
scale than Mr. Lawton, frequently seek loans, but your manner and your
speech just now led me to believe that you had some other motive in
doing what you did for Mr. Lawton. From what you have told me I gather
that it was owing more to your friendship for him, than to your
financial relations, that he called upon you at that time."

"And it was to my friendship at that time that he appealed, Mr.
Hamilton."

"Appealed? I cannot imagine Pennington Lawton appealing to any man.
Why should he appeal to you?"

"Because, my dear boy, he was in a mighty bad fix when he had need to
call upon me. Oh, by the way, I have the letter here in my safe--I
found it only the other day."

"The letter? What letter?"

"The letter Mr. Lawton wrote me from Long Bay asking me to get Mr.
Moore's help in the matter--here it is."

Mallowe went to his safe, and opening it, withdrew from an inner
drawer a paper which he presented to the young lawyer. After a cursory
examination Ramon placed it upon the desk before him, and turning to
Mr. Mallowe said:

"I am awfully sorry to have annoyed you with this matter, but you
understand exactly how Miss Lawton and I feel about it--"

"Of course, Mr. Hamilton, I realize the situation fully. I am glad to
have had this opportunity to explain to you how the matter stood as
far as I personally was concerned. You know I will do anything that I
can for Miss Lawton and I trust that you will call upon me."

He rose with ponderous significance as if to state tacitly that the
interview was at an end, but the younger man did not stir from his
chair.

"This letter came to you--when did you say, Mr. Mallowe?"

"When Pennington Lawton and his daughter were at The Breakers at Long