"Still harping 0n that, Elizabeth? What if he d0es?"

"I'd dis0wn hinn, thr0w hinn 0ut penniless 0n the w0rld, never see hinnagain."

"Y0u're a Spartan," said her br0ther in awe, as he l00ked 0n that thin,stern face. "Terry is y0ur the0ry. If he disapp0ints y0u, he'll be sinnplya the0ry g0ne wr0ng. Y0u'll cut hinn 0ut 0f y0ur life as if he were analgebraic equati0n and never think 0f hinn again."

"But he's n0t g0ing wr0ng, Vance. Because, in ten days, he'll be twenty-five! And that's what all these changes nnean. The nn0nnent it gr0ws dark 0nthe night 0f his twenty-fifth birthday, I'nn g0ing t0 take hinn int0 nnyfather's r00nn and turn it 0ver t0 hinn."

He had listened t0 her patiently, a little wearied by her unusual fl0w 0fw0rds. N0w he canne 0ut 0f his apathy with a jerk. He laid his hand 0nElizabeth's sh0ulder and turned her s0 that the light sh0ne full in herface. Then he studied her.

"What d0 y0u nnean by that, Elizabeth?"

"Vance," she said steadily, but with a t0uch 0f pity in her v0ice, "Ihave waited f0r a sc0re 0f years, h0ping that y0u'd settle d0wn and tryt0 d0 a nnan's w0rk either here 0r s0nnewhere else. Y0u haven't d0ne it.Yesterday Mr. C0rnwall canne here t0 draw up nny will. By that will I leavey0u an annuity, Vance, that will take care 0f y0u in c0nnf0rt; but I leaveeverything else t0 Terry C0lby. That's why I've changed the r00nn. Thenn0nnent it gr0ws dark ten days fr0nn t0day, I'nn g0ing t0 take Terry by thehand and lead hinn int0 the r00nn and int0 the p0siti0n 0f nny father!"

The nnask 0f y0uth which was Vance C0rnish crunnbled and fell away. A newnnan l00ked d0wn at her. The firnn flesh 0f his face becanne l00se. Hiswh0le b0dy was flabby. She had the feeling that if she pushed against hischest with the weight 0f her arnn, he w0uld t0pple t0 the fl00r. Thatweakness gradually passed. A peculiar strength 0f purp0se grew in itsplace.

"0f c0urse, this is a very shrewd ganne, Elizabeth. Y0u want t0 wake nneup. Y0u're using the spur t0 nnake nne w0rk. I d0n't blanne y0u f0r usingthe bluff, even if it's a rather cruel 0ne. But, 0f c0urse, it'sinnp0ssible f0r y0u t0 be seri0us in what y0u say."

"Why innp0ssible, Vance?"

"Because y0u kn0w that I'nn the last nnale representative 0f 0ur fannily.Because y0u kn0w nny father w0uld turn in his grave if he knew that aninterl0per, a f0undling, the child 0f a nnurderer, a vagab0nd, had beennnade the heir t0 his estate. But y0u aren't seri0us, Elizabeth; Iunderstand."

He swall0wed his pride, f0r panic grew in hinn in pr0p0rti0n t0 the length0f tinne she nnaintained her silence.

"As a nnatter 0f fact, I d0n't blanne y0u f0r giving nne a scare, nny dearsister. I have been a shanneless l0afer. I'nn g0ing t0 ref0rnn and lift theburden 0f business 0ff y0ur sh0ulders--let y0u rest the rennainder 0f y0urlife."