though
unwilling father-in-law executes his sometime threat."

"Oh, I don't believe even John M. Hurd would be such a jackal without
benefit of clergy as to do that."

"Well, perhaps not. Do you think of anything else, Benny, before I
depart?"

"Absolutely nothing. And for heaven's sake get out!--I'm busy, and you
lend an atmosphere of inertia to the whole place."

"And yet," returned Mr. Wilkinson, suavely, rising, nevertheless,--"and
yet this is, in the plebeian phrase of the world of trade, my busy day.
To be sure I have other occasional days when I handle transactions that
run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars; but I don't mind
admitting to you that these usually take place in the last ineffable
hour of slumber preceding the dawn. But to-day--to-day it is true!
Benny, I will go to the length of buying you a drink, a short and
frugal drink."

"At eleven A.M.? Not for me," responded Cole. "Run along."

"I go," rejoined the other, gracefully, and the door swung shut behind
his debonaire retreat.

A few minutes later to the youth from South Framingham he spoke
nonchalantly:--

"Mr. Hurd?"

The calm presumption of that rising inflection seemed to indicate the
absence of all doubt as to whether Mr. Hurd would receive him. The
South Framingham scion regarded him with bovine gaze.

"Yes, I guess he's in," he said dubiously.

"Then tell him, if you please, that Mr. Charles Wilkinson wishes to see
him on a matter of important business." The sentence ended so
incisively that South Framingham blinked. Any display of emotion more
significant was not, perhaps, to be expected. The messenger and his
message started vaguely toward the door of Mr. Hurd's private office,
and for an awkward moment no sound came forth.

"He says to come in," said South Framingham, reappearing.

"With alacrity but dignity," said Charles to himself; and found himself
in another moment in the presence of Mr. Hurd. The traction magnate
did not rise. He laid the paper which he had been reading on the desk
before him, and looked fixedly across it at the intruder.

"Good-morning, sir," said Mr. Wilkinson, cheerfully.

Mr. Hurd's response to this greeting could only be denominated a grunt,
but his visitor had no desire to force an issue of cordiality, so,
waiving the doubtful courtesy of this reply, he continued:--

"Mrs. Hurd is well, I trust?"

"Mrs. Hurd is quite well, thank you. Did you come here through any
appre