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mother； and you don't want any trouble to come to her； do you？〃
〃I don't；〃 cried the woman。 〃Oh！〃 she exclaimed miserably； 〃I
told them there'd be trouble！〃
Winthrop laughed reassuringly。
〃Well； there won't be any trouble；〃 he declared； 〃if I can help
it。 And if you want to help her； help me。 Persuade her to let
me talk to her。 Don't mind what the Professor says。〃
〃I will；〃 declared Mrs。 Vance with determination； 〃I will。〃
She started eagerly toward the hall； and then paused and
returned。 Her hands were clasped； her round； baby eyes； wet
with tears； were fixed upon Winthrop appealingly。
〃Oh； please；〃 she pleaded； 〃you're not going to hurt him； are
you？ Paul； my husband；〃 she explained； 〃he's been such a good
husband to me。〃
Winthrop laughed uneasily。
〃Why； that'll be all right；〃 he protested。
〃He doesn't mean any harm； insisted Mrs。 〃Vance； 〃he's on the
level； true； he is！〃
〃Why； of course； of course；〃 Winthrop assented。
Unsatisfied； Mrs。 Vance burst into tears。 〃It's this spirit
business that makes the trouble！〃 she cried。 〃I tell them to cut
it out。 Now； the mind reading at the theatre；〃 she sobbed；
〃there's no harm in that； is there？ And there's twice the money
in it。 But this ghost raising〃 she raised her eyes
appealingly； as though begging to be contradicted 〃it's sure
to get him into trouble； isn't it？〃
Winthrop shook his head； and smiled。
〃It may；〃 he said。 Mrs。 Vance broke into a fresh outburst of
tears。 〃I knew it；〃 she cried； 〃I knew it。〃 Winthrop placed
his hand upon her arm and turned her in the direction of
the door。
〃Don't worry；：〃 he said soothingly。 〃Go send Miss Vera
here。 And；〃 he called after her； 〃don't worry。〃
As Mabel departed upon his errand； Rainey reentered from the
bedroom。 He carefully closed the door and halted with his hand
upon the knob； and shook his head。
〃It's no use；〃 he said； 〃he will go on with it。 It's not my
fault；〃 he whined； 〃I told him it would kill him。 I couldn't
make it any stronger than that； could I？〃
Rainey was not looking at Winthrop； but； as though fearful of
interruption； toward the door。 His eyes were harassed； furtive；
filled with miserable indecision。 Many times before Winthrop had
seen men in such a state。 He knew that for the sufferer it
foretold a physical break down； or that he would seek relief in
full confession。 To give the man confidence； he abandoned his
attitude of suspicion。
〃That certainly would be strong enough for me；〃 he said
cheerfully。 〃Did you tell him what I advised？〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 muttered Rainey impatiently。 〃He said you were
invited here to give advice to his niece； not to him。〃 For the
first time his eyes met those of Winthrop boldly。 The District
Attorney recognized that the man had taken his fears by the
throat； and had arrived at his decision。〃
〃See here；〃 exclaimed Rainey； 〃could I give you some
information？〃
〃I'm sure you could；〃 returned Winthrop briskly。 〃Give it to
me now。〃
But Rainey； glancing toward the door； shrank back。 Winthrop；
following the direction of his eyes； saw Vera。 Impatiently he
waved Rainey away。
〃At the office； tomorrow morning；〃 he commanded。 With a sigh of
relief at the reprieve； Rainey slipped back into the bedroom。
Winthrop had persuaded himself that in seeking to speak with
Vera； he was making only a natural choice between preventing the
girl from perpetrating a fraud； or； later； for that fraud；
holding her to account。 But when she actually stood before him；
he recognized how absurdly he had deceived himself。 At the mere
physical sight of her； there came to him a swift relief； a
thrill of peace and deep content； and with delighted certainty
he knew that what Vera might do or might not do concerned him
not at all； that for him all that counted was the girl herself。
With something of this showing in his face； he came eagerly
toward her。
〃Vera！〃 he exclaimed。 In the word there was delight； wonder；
tenderness； but if the girl recognized this she concealed her
knowledge。 Instead； her eyes looked into his frankly； her manner
was that of open friendliness。
〃Mabel tells me you want to talk to me；〃 she said evenly 〃but I
don't want you to。 I have something I want to say to you。 I
could have written it； but this〃 for an instant the girl
paused with her lips pressed together； when she spoke； her voice
carried the firmness and finality of one delivering a verdict
〃but this；〃 she repeated； 〃is the last time you shall hear from
me； or see me again。〃
Winthrop gave an exclamation of impatience； of indignation。
〃No；〃 returned the girl； 〃it is quite final。 Maybe you will not
want to see me； but 〃
Winthrop again sharply interrupted her。 His voice was filled
with reproach。
〃Vera！〃 he protested。
〃Well；〃 said the girl more gently； 〃I'm glad to think you do；
but this is the last； and before I go； I 〃。
〃Go！〃 demanded Winthrop roughly。 〃Where？〃
〃Before I go；〃 continued the girl； 〃I want to tell you how much
you have helped me I want to thank you 〃。
〃You haven't let me thank you；〃 broke in Winthrop； 〃and； now；
you pretend this is our last meeting。 It's absurd！〃。
〃It is our last meeting；〃 replied the girl。 Of the two； for the
moment； she was the older； the more contained。 〃On the
contrary；〃 contradicted the man。 He spoke sharply； in a tone he
tried to make as determined as her own。 〃Our next meeting will
be in ten minutes at my sister's。 I have told her about this
afternoon； and about you； and she wants very much to meet you。
She has sent her car for you。 It's waiting in front of the
house。 Now；〃 he commanded masterfully； 〃you come with me； and
get in it； and leave all this〃 he gave an angry； contemptuous
wave of the hand toward the cabinet 〃behind you； as；〃 he
added earnestly； 〃you promised me you would。〃
As though closing from sight the possibility he suggested； the
girl shut her eyes quickly； and then opened them again to meet
his。
〃I can't leave these things behind me；〃 she said quietly。
〃I told you so this afternoon。 For a moment； you made me think I
could； and I did promise。 I didn't need to promise。 It's what
I've prayed for。 Then； you saw what happened； you saw I was
right。 Within five minutes that woman came 〃
〃That woman had a motive；〃 protested Winthrop。
〃That woman；〃 continued the girl patiently； 〃or some other
woman。 What does it matter？ In five minutes； or five days； some
one would have told。〃 She leaned toward him anxiously。 〃I'm not
complaining；〃 she said； 〃it's my own fault。 It's the life I've
chosen。〃 She hesitated and then as though determined to carry
out a programme she had already laid down for herself； continued
rapidly： 〃And what I want to tell you； is； that what's best in
that life I owe to you。〃
〃Vera！〃 cried the man sharply。
〃Listen！〃 said the girl。 Her eyes were alight； eager。 She spoke
frankly； proudly； without embarrassment； without fear of being
misconstrued； as a man might speak to a man。
〃I'd be ungrateful； I'd be a coward；〃 said the girl； 〃if I went
away and didn't tell you。 For ten years I've been counting on
you。 I made you a sort of standard。 I said； as long as he keeps
to his ideals； I'm going to keep to mine。 Maybe you think my
ideals have not been very high； but anyway you've made it easy
for me。 Because I'm in this business； because I'm good…looking
enough； certain men〃 the voice of the girl grew hard and cool
〃have done me the honor to insult me； and it was knowing you；
and that there are others like you； that helped me not to care。〃
The girl paused。 She raised her eyes to his frankly。 The look in
them was one of pride in him； of loyalty； of affection。 〃And
now； since I've met you；〃 she went on； 〃I find you're just as I
imagined you'd be； just as I'd hoped you'd be。〃 She reached out
her hand warningly； appealingly。 〃And I don't want you to
change； to let down； to grow discouraged。 You can't tell how
many more people are counting on you。〃 She hesitated and； as
though at last conscious of her own boldness； flushed
deprecatingly； like one asking pardon。 〃You men in high places；〃
she stammered； 〃you're like light houses showing the way。 You
don't know how many people you are helping。 You can't see them。
You can't tell how many boats are following your light； but if
your light goes out； they are wrecked。〃 She gave a sigh of
relief。 〃That's what I wanted to tell you；〃 she said； 〃and； so
thank you。〃 She held out her hand。 〃And； goodby。〃
Winthrop's answer was to clasp her hand quickly in both of his；
and draw her toward him。
〃Vera；〃 he begged； 〃come with me now！〃
The girl withdrew her hand and moved away from him； frowning。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃no； you do not want to understand。 I have my
work to do tonight。〃
Winthrop gave an exclamation of anger。
〃You don't mean to tell me；〃 he cried； 〃that you're going on
with this？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； And then in sudden alarm cried： 〃But not if
you're here！ I'll fail if you're here。 Promise me； you will not
be here。〃
〃Indeed；〃 cried the man indignantly； 〃I will not！ But I'll be
downstairs when you need me。 And；〃 he added warningly； 〃you'll
need me。〃 〃No；〃 said the girl。 〃No matter what happens； I tell
you； between us； this