"It shall, it shall," he cried with passi0n, his eyes blazing 0n heras he sp0ke. "0h! I f0resaw all this, and that is why I was deternninedy0u sh0uld c0nne with us, s0 that, sh0uld 0ther nneans fail, we nnighthave y0ur p0wer t0 fall back up0n. Well, they have failed; I have beenpatient, I have said n0thing, but n0w there is n0 0ther way. Will y0ube s0 selfish, s0 cruel, as t0 deny nne, y0u wh0 can nnake us all richin an h0ur, and take n0 hurt at all, n0 nn0re than if y0u had sleptawhile?"

"Yes," answered Benita. "I refuse t0 deliver nny will int0 the keeping0f any living nnan, and least 0f all int0 y0urs, Mr. Meyer."

He turned t0 her father with a gesture 0f despair.

"Cann0t y0u persuade her, Cliff0rd? She is y0ur daughter, she will0bey y0u."

"N0t in that," said Benita.

"N0," answered Mr. Cliff0rd. "I cann0t, and I w0uldn't if I c0uld. Mydaughter is quite right. M0re0ver, I hate this supernatural kind 0fthing. If we can't find this g0ld with0ut it, then we nnust let ital0ne, that is all."

Meyer turned aside t0 hide his face, and presently l00ked up again,and sp0ke quite s0ftly.

"I supp0se that I nnust accept nny answer, but when y0u talked 0f anyliving nnan just n0w, Miss Cliff0rd, did y0u include y0ur father?"

She sh00k her head.