“Ah, I have it! I’ll make him supremely ridiculous. I’ll make the city laugh at him. I’ll carve a work with him as central figure, and I’ll christen it ‘Satan Rebuking Sin.’” Like a woman, she laughed at the cleverness of her conceit, dressed and took a fierce drive through Central Park. CHAPTER VI. A LAWYER’S STUBBORNNESS. Edward Salmon was one of the brilliant and successful lawyers of New York. His office contained family secrets that would tear wide open the very vitals of society, if he but chose to speak. But he was oily and discreet, and maid, matron, and millionaire as well, knew that what went into that massive safe and into Salmon’s wily brain, never came out again unless it was proper. That was the reason of his great success. Mr. Salmon was a great success. He had a wondrous practice, a splendid library, a rich and lovely home; but he had a daughter, Marie, who had seen fit, as young girls will do sometimes, to fall in love without parental consultation, and the result was that both father and daughter were very unhappy. She would not yield to his wishes, and he would not consent to the man of her choice. Now, Milton Royle, the sweetheart of Marie, was a noble fellow, but twenty years prior to the commencement of this story, Royle’s father and the lawyer had a great difficulty over a law suit, and Salmon had never forgotten or forgiven what he had always alleged, was the betrayal of Royle’s father, and he had sworn that he would rather see Marie go wifeless to the grave, rather than that she should marry a man in whose veins flowed the blood of the elder Royle. In all other respects he was an indulgent parent, and was particularly tender to Marie, as the girl had lost her mother, and was almost alone in the world, not liking or indulging in the usual frivolities of society and fashion. Her life was spent in art, and among artists. She was a great friend and admirer of Ouida, and it was at the studio of the latter, where she had met young Royle, who was one of the students much favored by the great sculptress. Salmon was in his office dictating a number of very important communications to his stenographer. Happening to glance out of the window overhanging the street, he saw something that evidently caused him great annoyance. A moment later there was a quick, nervous rap at the door, and a young girl exquisitely dressed, entered, and coming up, threw her arms around the lawyer’s neck and kissed him. He received the embrace with coldness. “Why, father, what is the matter?” said Marie. “Matter? It is ridiculous for you to ask such a question. I saw you just a moment ago on the street, part company with Milton Royle. You know you always displease me by your association with him.” “I can’t help it,” said the girl, her voice tinged with unutterable sadness. “I make no concealment of my love for Milton. I like to be with him, and am with him whenever he can spare the time from his studies.”