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"I don't believe you really know the names of her father andto trickyou what I DO know"

"There are portraits of her ancestors hanging in Fifth Avenue," said Droom promptly "Here," and he picked up a pencil, "I'll write the initials of the two persons responsible for her existence You do the same and we'll see that they tally" He quickly scratched four letters on a pad of paper Bansemer hesitated and then slorote the initials on the back of an envelope Without a word they exchanged the papers After a moment they both smiled in relief Neither had been tricked The initials were identical

"I i in Fifth Avenue would be amazed if they knew the story of Jane," said Droom, with a chuckle

"I doubt it, Droom Ancestors have stories, too, and they hide theirl who doesn't know"

"I dare say It isn't a orld"

"It's a lucky one That's why it assumes to be decent"

"You are quite a cynic, Elias"

"By the way, now that your son is to aer, his steely eyes blazing

"Gaame, damn you Listen to me, Droom; we'll settle this now I'ood father People have called me heartless So be it But I love that boy of s to hiame where he is concerned Some day, perhaps, he'll find out the kind of a man I've been to others, but can always remember that I was fair and honest with him He'll despise my methods and he'll spurn irl I would have chosen for hiood and true and he loves her"

For the first time in his life Elias Droom shrank beneath the eyes of his master He hated James Bansemer from the bottom, of his wretched soul, but he could not but feel, at this h all the years of their association Elias Droom had hated Bansemer because he was qualified to be the master, because he was successful and forceful, because he had loved and been loved, because they had been classmates but not equals In the bitterness of his heart he had lain awake on countless nights praying--but not to his God--that the time would come when he could stand ascendant over this steelyloyalty to a duty once assu Bansemer with exposure years before But Droo his eyes after a brief, shifting study of his bony hands