and shaking all over, sir,--'I'm not coming here again, Wade. No more of it
for me. Damn him! You tell my sister that I'm not coming again!' Then he
went out, mumbling to himself. Right after that I went up to Mr. Thorpe.
He was very angry. He gave orders that Mr. Tresslyn was not to be admitted
again. It was then, sir, that he spoke to me about the money in the
envelope. I have had a notion, sir, that the money was first intended for
Mr. George Tresslyn, but he didn't like that way of earning it any more
than I did. Rather strange, too, when you stop to think how badly he needs
money and how low he's been getting these past few months. Poor chap, he--"

"Now, Wade, you are guessing," interrupted Braden, with a sinking heart.
"You have no right to surmise--"

"Beg pardon, sir; I was only putting two and two together. I'm sorry. I
dare say I am entirely wrong, perhaps a little bit out of my head because
of the--Please, sir, do not misunderstand me. I would not for the world
have you think that I connect Mrs. Thorpe with the business. I am sure
that she had nothing whatever to do with her brother's visits
here,--nothing at all, sir."

Braden's blood was like ice water as he turned away from the man and
entered his grandfather's room. The nurse was reading to the old man. With
the young man's entrance, Mr. Thorpe cut her off brusquely and told her to
leave the room.

"Come here, Braden," he said, after the door had closed behind the woman.
"Have you talked with Anne?"

"Yes, grandfather."

"She told you everything?"

"I suppose so. It is terrible. You should not have made such demands--"

"We won't go into that," said the other harshly, gripping his side with
his claw-like hand. His face was contorted by pain. After a moment, he
went on: "She's better than I thought, and so is that good-for-nothing
brother of hers. I shall never forgive this scoundrel Wade though. He has
been my servant, my slave for more than thirty years, and I know that he
hasn't a shred of a conscience. While I think of it, I wish you would take
this key and unlock the top drawer in my dressing table. See if there is
an envelope there, will you? There is, eh? Open it. Count the bills,
Braden."

He lay back, with tightly closed eyes, while Braden counted the package of
five hundred dollar bank-notes.

"There are fifty thousand dollars here, grandfather," said the young man
huskily.

"'Pon my soul, they are more honest than I imagined. Well