"You snake!" groaned Cable, weak and hoarse with rage. "Jane, he has lied! There is not a word of truth in what he says. I swear it to you." "Ho, ho! By Heaven, she hasn't told you, after all!" cried Bansemer. "You still think she is yours!" "Father!" exclaimed Graydon, standing straight before the other. David Cable had dropped limply into a chair, his hand to his heart. "I won't stand by and hear you any longer. Take back what you've said about her, or, damn you, I'll forget that you are my father and---" "Graydon!" exclaimed Bansemer, falling back, his expression changing like a flash. The smile of triumph left his face and his lip twitched. "You forget I--I am doing this for your sake. My God, boy, you don't understand. Don't turn from me to them. They have---" "That's enough, father! Don't say another word! You've talked like a madman. See! Look what you've done! Oh, Jane!" he caught sight of the girl on the landing and rushed up to her. "Is it true, Graydon--is it true?" she wailed, beating her hands upon his arm. "No! It can't be true! He's gone mad, dearest." "Is it true, mother? Tell me, tell me!" Frances Cable's white lips moved stiffly, but no sound came forth. Her eyes spoke the truth, however. The girl sank limp and helpless in Graydon's arms and knew no more. At the foot of the steps Rigby was pointing his trembling finger at James Bansemer. "You'll pay for this to-morrow!" he was saying. "Your day has come! You cutthroat! You blackmailer!" "Graydon!" called the father. "Come, let us go home. Come, boy!" "Not now--not now," answered the son hoarsely. "I'll--I'll try to come home to-night, father. I'm not sure that I can. My place is here--with her." Without a word James Bansemer turned and rushed out into the street, tears of rage and disappointment in his eyes. He had not expected the gall. Until the break of day he sat in his chill room waiting for the rasp of his son's night key--but Graydon did not come home. CHAPTER XX FATHER AND SON Graydon sat with his chin in his hands, dull, stricken, crushed. He had heard the story of his father's baseness from Frances Cable, and he had been told the true story of Jane; from Rigby he learned of the vile transactions in which his father had dealt. At first, he could scarcely believe his own ears, but in the end lie saw that but--half the truth could be told. It was past midnight when he left David Cable's, not to go to his own home, but to that of Elias Droom. He knew now that the newspapers would devote columns to the "sensation in high life"; he knew that Jane would suffer agonies untold, but he would not blame his father for that; he knew that arrest and disgrace hung over the tall grey man who had shown his true and amazing side at last; he knew that shame and humiliation were to be his own share in the division. Down somewhere in his aching heart he nourished the hope that Elias Droom could ease the pain of these wretched disclosures.