u sent that
awful man to my rooms?"

Drew flushed beneath the olive of his skin.

"_I_ sent him," he admitted guiltily. "I never thought you would be
offended, Miss Stockbridge."

"I am--greatly so! Do you mistrust me?"

"Miss Stockbridge," Drew hastened to say with soft apology. "Miss
Loris--that thought never entered my mind. It never did! I'll have Mr.
Delaney out, right away. He should not have gone in without your
permission. I told him to knock and ask you."

"My maid let him in. I--I----"

Drew studied her gown. It had been changed. The Irish lace and the
lavender one had been replaced by an Oxford-gray tailor-made suit which
fitted her slender, elegant form like a close glove. Her slippers were
topped with fawn-hued spats. One ring was on her finger. It was a
solitaire of price. It gleamed and flashed in the rose-light as she
raised her hand to her hair.

"I'll have Delaney right out," repeated Drew, bowing and starting for
the doorway.

"No!"

Drew paused. He turned. The magnate towered over the table. His eyes
were blood-shot and glazed with resolve.

"No!" he declared. "No, you'll not have him out! Let him do his duty!
Loris, go upstairs!"

"But, father----"

"Go--up--stairs!"

The girl flushed. Scarlet ripples rose from her young breast. Her
cheeks crimsoned into two burning spots. She wheeled, gathered up her
skirt, and glided swiftly through the portieres which dropped behind
her like a curtain of a stage.

"Go--up--stairs," quoted the magpie greatly excited.

Drew retained the vision of Loris long after her footsteps had ceased
to sound in the hallway. He grew thoughtful as he waited. There were
details to the case which already caused him concern. It was evident
that the girl was tremendously high-spirited and willful. Her obedience
to her father's demand had only been after a struggle with her
turbulent nature. She had given in to him, but friction was there which
might cause trouble at a future hour.

Delaney parted the portieres, finally. He strode into the library with
a flushed face. He lifted one brow as he jerked his head upward in a
mute signal to Drew.

"I guess it's all O. K.," he blurted swinging toward Stockbridge and
eyeing the bottle beside the telephone. "O. K. upstairs. I searched
most everything--posted a valet at the master's suite and took a look
into Miss Stockbridge's rooms. They seem all right. I guess they're all
right," he added with candor, which Drew und