the park into the avenue, and St

g," she said. "Thank you

yed every m

d, but he did n

, "but I shall not think of letting you go until y

ed down agai

at you were such a tremendously busy person, that you n

" he said. "Which do you pref

d," she answered. "I like w

veral minutes to ordering a luncheon which should be worthy of his reputat

y kind to me in the way of bringing us together. Now I am going to tell you something which I dare

ebrows. She was c

an that?"

it," he

had no idea that you knew even what had

u one question. Do you know anything about this illness of your father's? Do you believe

le parted S

red. "I must admit that I was puzz

ular reason?" he asked,

of a new hat and a very be

lf away. But I may as well warn you at once that I know nothing about my fat

nod

" he said. "May I

you really have anything to s

I will undertake to be

ashion. He came from one of the better-known families in New York. He had rooms and connections in London and Paris. He was fairly good looking, and always irreproachably dressed. Stella looked at him more than once approvingly. He was certainly a desirabl

eached its final stage did he refer again to anything approaching serious conversation. Then he leaned a little acro

the last few months, however, we have all felt a sort of vague uneasiness one with the other. Apparently we were all still pulling the same way, yet I think that each one of us had the feeling that there was something

nodded

understood that amongst you who control the money-markets there is no friendship, nor any right and wro

" he answered, "but you must remember that the

ged her s

e my father is trying to get the best of you all, and you seem to be a little nervous about it. Well, I k

nd passed the box ac

e are three or four of us, including myself, on one side, and your father on the other. Supposing it was in your power to help either, and

"would my filial devotion o

at her a

Duge," he said. "That is

ked thoughtfully through the little cloud of cigar

she said, "that my father t

umour-" he beg

hing again. I have lived with my father since I came back from Europe, and I know what manner of a man he is. I think," she continued, looking away from him, and speaking more thoughtfully, "that I was just like the average girl

one thing. Your father has a paper which we foolishly enough all signed one night, which places us practically in his power. If that paper were given to the Press, w

r. "Whatever made you sign

ok his

to us. We can't help an idea that it is to keep out of our way for a few days, and to retain possession of that wretched document, that he is lying by. If, on the

nd," Stella said. "Now plea

person who places that paper in our charge. To any one who knew your father's house,

at she was going to get up and leave him. Instead, however, she brok

hat I have no longer the e

here, especially with your father out of the way upstairs.

ity," she added, with a faint smile upon her

ged his

father has a detective always round the place. He is well guarded, b

e paper?"

ence to raising a certain sum of money, to remove from office certain prominent politicians who are supporting this Anti-Trust Bill. Our name

drawing on

u, and these roses are lovely. Supposing I should feel that my g

n of the people whom they passed, of the play at the theatre, of which they were reminded by the sigh

all quite close to here

r from you soon," he sai

swered, smiling,