"Why, Mr. Markham! His intrigue is a low, vulgar thing. That is exactly what I am trying to make you understand. The difference lies right there. Lans is open and above-board; he's a gentleman. This young Morley is----" "Well, well, madam!" Levi held up his hand calmly silencing the indignant voice. "I know Lansing has taken every one into his confidence who chose to lend an ear; we have all shared his life whether we approved or not and I will say this: young Morley has never asked any one to play confessor for him, but I am going to give him an opportunity to speak for himself if he wants to." "He will lie, sir." "He's the worst liar you ever saw, Mrs. Treadwell." Just how to take this Olive Treadwell did not know. She was distracted. She felt that Markham was playing with her! Perhaps he knew all about Morley's escapades and preferred them to Lans' newer ideals. "You will investigate for yourself?" she pleaded; "in justice to Lans?" "In my own way, Madam." "You mean----" "That I will look to my own interests as I always have. When all is said and done, ma'am, there's no law in the State that confines me to leaving my savings to any particular young man. I have still, I hope, a few years to my credit. I promise you I will devote them to securing the best possible good for the _trust_, as you so well put it, in my keeping. You are quite right also in saying that I consider the power of money-making a talent. It is my only talent and I do not underestimate it." "You are a--hard man, Markham. Time has not softened you." "I will still endeavour to be just, madam. I will tell you this--if I discover that I have been duped, I'll give, outright, a good sum of money to you in trust for Lansing!" "You think I--I have simply tried to blacken Morley's character for personal gain?" "No, no, Mrs. Treadwell. I ascribed the best possible motives to you!" "Levi Markham--I cannot understand you." "Why should you try, madam?" Olive Treadwell got up and paced the room. "You humiliate me!" she said angrily. "Of course I desire my brother's son to inherit rightfully. He will have all that I die possessed of. I am seeking his interests but only justly and humanly. When he first came in contact with this--this investment of yours--as you call him, it was as _tutor_ to this Morley. Consider! _tutor_, my brother's son, to your--your waif! And the dear, noble fellow--my Lans, fell in love with him. Has trusted and helped him socially. Why, he made his college life easy for him by his own popularity. Quite by accident I discovered the vulgar intrigue of this--this Morley. I saw him go into a house where a little seamstress of mine lives! I inquired; I found him out; and--and, not for any low gain, but gain in the larger, higher sense I pocketed my pride and came to you as helpless women do come to strong men and you make me feel like a--village scandal-monger!"