istian virtues."

"What the world says? What do you mean?" she persisted, never taking her
eyes from his face.

He simply shrugged his shoulders.

"So I assume Mr. Keith is the fortunate suitor for the remnant of your
affections: Keith the immaculate--Keith the pure and pious gentleman who
trades on his affections. I wish you good luck."

At his insolence Mrs. Lancaster's patience suddenly snapped.

"Go," she said, pointing to the door. "Go."

When Wickersham walked out into the street, his face was white and
drawn, and a strange light was in his eyes. He had played one of his
last cards, and had played it like a fool. Luck had gone against him,
and he had lost his head. His heart--that heart that had never known
remorse and rarely dismay--began to sink. Luck had been going against
him now for a long time, so long that it had swept away his fortune and
most of his credit. What was worse to him, he was conscious that he had
lost his nerve. Where should he turn? Unless luck turned or he could get
help he would go down. He canvassed the various means of escape. Man
after man had fallen away from him. Every scheme had failed.

He attributed it all to Norman--to Norman and Keith. Norman had ruined
him in New York; Keith had blocked him and balked him in the South. But
one resource remained to him. He would make one more supreme effort.
Then, if he failed? He thought of a locked drawer in his desk, and a
black pistol under the papers there. His cheek blanched at the thought,
but his lips closed tight. He would not survive disgrace. His disgrace
meant the known loss of his fortune. One thing he would do. Keith had
escaped him, had succeeded, but Norman he could overthrow. Norman had
been struck hard; he would now complete his ruin. With this mental tonic
he straightened up and walked rapidly down the street.

That evening Wickersham was closeted for some time with a man who had of
late come into especial notice as a strong and merciless
financier--Mr. Kestrel.

Mr. Kestrel received him at first with a coldness which might have
repelled a less determined man. He had no delusions about Wickersham;
but Wickersham knew this, and unfolded to him, with plausible frankness,
a scheme which had much reason in it. He had at the same time played on
the older man's foibles with great astuteness, and had awakened one or
two of his dormant animosities. He knew that Mr. Kestrel had had a
strong feeling against Norman for several ye