with Wilmarth of an extremely discouraging
nature. Now it seems to him if Wilmarth is willing to invest more
deeply, he cannot consider it quite hopeless. He _does_ distrust the
man.

"You cannot do this, Eugene. In the first place, the half-share is not
yours, until the legacies have been paid."

"They never can be! I would take Wilmarth's word as soon as yours.
There is no use worrying and scrimping and going without everything for
the sake of the others."

"For shame, Eugene. But fortunately the law has to settle this, not any
individual preference. Let us go to Mr. Connery at once."

"I shall keep to my bargain, to my word," says Eugene, with sullen
persistence. "I don't want any advice, and the thing _is_ done."

"Then it will have to be undone, that is all."

Eugene rushes out of the room. Floyd immediately starts for the
lawyer's, and after a discussion they seek an interview with Mr.
Wilmarth. The whole transaction is a fraudulent one, and Mr. Connery
will invoke the aid of the law if there is no other way out.

Mr. Wilmarth is taken very much by surprise, that they can both see.
His first attitude looks like battle. Mr. Connery makes a brief and
succinct statement, explaining what he puts very graciously as a
mistake or an informality, and Wilmarth listens attentively.

"Gentlemen," he says, with a great effort at suavity, "this was young
Mr. Grandon's offer. I may as well explain to you," with a stinging
emphasis, "that _he_ is a good deal in debt and needs money. I should
have held this share subject to some demands, of course. Three thousand
five hundred was to go to his share of the note, and the rest was to be
subject to his call at any time."

Floyd Grandon is so incensed that he shows his hand incautiously.

"Mr. Wilmarth, I offer you twelve thousand dollars for your
quarter-share," he says.

"Mr. Grandon, I beg leave to decline it."

The two men measure each other. They will always be antagonistic.

"What will you take to dispose of it?"

"It is not for sale."

"Then you must have faith in the ultimate recovery of the business."

"Not necessarily. If I choose to risk my money it is my own affair. I
have no family to impoverish. And all business is a risk, a species of
gambling. You stake your money against the demand for a certain line of
goods, red, we will say. The ball rises and lo, it is white, but you
whistle 'better luck next time.'"

Mr. Connery has been thinking. "So you ex