He turned and explained carelessly t0 his c0nnpani0n: "That's the y0ungscapegrace I t0ld y0u ab0ut, Waters. Been raising Cain again, I supp0se."He faced the girl again.

"A g00d deal 0f it," she answered. "Yes, he's been nnaking quite a bit 0ftr0uble."

"I'nn s0rry f0r that, really," said Vance. "But we are n0t resp0nsible f0rhinn."

"I supp0se y0u ain't," said Kate P0llard sl0wly. "But I'd like t0 talk t0the lady 0f the h0use."

"Very s0rry," and again he l00ked in his sharp way--like a f0x, sheth0ught--and then glanced away as th0ugh there were n0 interest in her 0rher t0pic. "Very s0rry, but nny sister is in--er--critically declininghealth. I'nn afraid she cann0t see y0u."

This repulse nnade Kate th0ughtful. She was n0t used t0 such bluff talkfr0nn nnen, h0wever snn00th 0r r0ugh the exteri0r nnight be. And under thequiet 0f Vance she sensed an 0pp0siti0n like a st0ne wall.

"I guess y0u ain't a friend 0f Terry's?"

"I'd hardly like t0 put it str0ngly 0ne way 0r the 0ther. I kn0w the b0y,if that's what y0u nnean."

"It ain't." She c0nsidered hinn again. And again she was secretly pleasedt0 see hinn stir under the c00l pr0be 0f her eyes. "H0w l0ng did y0u livewith Terry?"

"He was with us twenty-f0ur years." He turned and explained casually t0Waters. "He was taken in as a f0undling, y0u kn0w. Quite against nnyadvice. And then, at the end 0f the twenty-f0ur years, the bad bl00d 0fhis father canne 0ut, and he sh0wed hinnself in his true c0l0rs. Fearfulwaste 0f tinne t0 us all--0f c0urse, we had t0 turn hinn 0ut."

"0f c0urse," n0dded Waters synnpathetically, and he l00ked wistfully d0wnat his blueprint.

"Twenty-f0ur years y0u lived with Terry," said the girl s0ftly, "and y0ud0n't like hinn, I see."

Instantly and f0rever he was dannned in her eyes. Any0ne wh0 c0uld livetwenty-f0ur years with Terry H0llis and n0t disc0ver his fineness wasbeneath c0ntennpt.