and it's a dastardly outrage," blurted out Jefferson. "It's
a damnable conspiracy against one of the most honourable men that
ever lived, and I mean to ferret out and expose the authors. I
came here to-day to ask father to help me."

"You came to ask your father to help you?" echoed his mother
incredulously.

"Why not?" demanded Jefferson. "Is it true then that he is
selfishness incarnate? Wouldn't he do that much to help a friend?"

"You've come to the wrong house, Jeff. You ought to know that.
Your father is far from being Judge Rossmore's friend. Surely you
have sense enough to realize that there are two reasons why he
would not raise a finder to help him. One is that he has always
been his opponent in public life, the other is that you want to
marry his daughter."

Jefferson sat as if struck dumb. He had not thought of that. Yes,
it was true. His father and the father of the girl he loved were
mortal enemies. How was help to be expected from the head of those
"interests" which the judge had always attacked, and now he came
to think of it, perhaps his own father was really at the bottom of
these abominable charges! He broke into a cold perspiration and
his voice was altered as he said:

"Yes, I see now, mother. You are right." Then he added bitterly:
"That has always been the trouble at home. No matter where I turn,
I am up against a stone wall--the money interests. One never hears
a glimmer of fellow-feeling, never a word of human sympathy, only
cold calculation, heartless reasoning, money, money, money! Oh, I
am sick of it. I don't want any of it. I am going away where I'll
hear no more of it."

His mother laid her hand gently on his shoulder.

"Don't talk that way, Jefferson. Your father is not a bad man at
heart, you know that. His life has been devoted to money making
and he has made a greater fortune than any man living or dead. He
is only what his life has made him. He has a good heart. And he
loves you--his only son. But his business enemies--ah! those he
never forgives."

Jefferson was about to reply when suddenly a dozen electric bells
sounded all over the house.

"What's that?" exclaimed Jefferson, alarmed, and starting towards
the door.

"Oh, that's nothing," smiled his mother. "We have had that put in
since you went away. Your father must have just come in. Those
bells announce the fact. It was done so that if there happened to
be any strangers in the house they could be kept out of the wa