hten me. The cheque was made out to
me--to my order. How could you have used it, if I had not indorsed it?"

"I indorsed it. Do you understand that!" he said savagely.

"No, I don't; because, if you did, it's forgery."

"I don't give a damn what you think it is!" he broke in fiercely. "All
I'm worried over is what Plank will think. I didn't mean to do it; I
didn't dream of doing it; but when Burbank cleaned me up I fished about,
and that cursed cheque came tumbling out!"

In the rising excitement of self-defence the colour was coming back into
his battered face; he sat up straighter in his chair, and, grasping
the upholstered arms, leaned forward, speaking more distinctly and with
increasing vigour and anger:

"When I saw that cheque in my hands I thought I'd use it
temporarily--merely as moral collateral to flash at Burbank--something
to back my I. O. U.'s. So I filled it in."

"For how much?" she asked, not daring to believe him; but he ignored the
question and went on: "I filled it and indorsed it, and--"

"How could you indorse it?" she interrupted coolly, now unconvinced
again and suspicious.

"I'll tell you if you'll stop that fool tongue a moment. The cheque was
made to 'L. Mortimer,' wasn't it? So I wrote 'L. Mortimer' on the back.
Now do you know? If you are L. Mortimer, so am I. Leila begins with L;
so does Leroy, doesn't it? I didn't imitate your two-words-to-a-page
autograph. I put my own fist to a cheque made out to one L. Mortimer;
and I don't care what you think about it as long as Plank can stand it.
Now put up your nose and howl, if you like."

But under her sudden pallor he was taking fright again, and he began to
bolster up his courage with bluster and noise, as usual:

"Howl all you like!" he jeered. "It won't alter matters or square
accounts with Plank. What are you staring at? Do you suppose I'm not
sorry? Do you fancy I don't know what a fool I've been? What are you
turning white for? What in hell--"

"How much have you--" She choked, then, resolutely: "How much have
you--taken?"

"Taken!" he broke out, with an oath. "What do you mean? I've borrowed
about twenty thousand dollars. Now yelp! Eh? What?--no yelps? Probably
some weeps, then. Turn 'em on and run dry; I'll wait." And he managed to
cross one bulky leg over the other and lean back, affecting resignation,
while Leila, bolt upright in her low chair, every curved outline rigid
under the flowing, silken wrap, stared at him as tho