"And that's all there is to it. Kirkwood had mooned around town here for years, doing nothing. Then suddenly an old friend of his in the East took pity on him and gave him this Sycamore Company to meddle in, and he's contemptible enough to use a law case for personal vengeance against perfectly innocent people. And you walked into the trap like a silly sheep!" "You know you don't believe that, Charlie. Kirkwood isn't that kind of man. He's on the level and high grade." "He may be all that; but he's a human being too. There's no man on earth who'd pass a thing like that. An ignorant, coarse beast would have shot somebody; but an educated man like Kirkwood calculates carefully and sticks the knife in when he sees a chance to make it go clear through. That girl of his is the cutest kid in Indiana, and I wouldn't do anything to hurt her. But we've got to protect ourselves, you and I, Fred. We're not responsible for Uncle Jack's sins. The whole thing is blistering Kirkwood right now because Uncle Jack's turned up and the lady in the case has had so little decency as to follow him." "I don't suppose she thought of doing anything of the kind. She and Uncle Jack broke long ago. He told me so, in fact, at Indianapolis, and made her cruel abandonment an excuse for borrowing five dollars of me." "Well, we've got to get rid of _him_! He's doing all he can against us; sending people to Kirkwood with stories about father, and the traction business. I tell you, Fred," he declared ardently, "our family is in danger of going to hell if you and I don't do something pretty quick to stop it." Fred puffed his pipe and watched his brother fidgeting nervously about the room. A phonograph across the street called attention to a moving-picture show. In the hotel office below, the porter proclaimed the departure of the 'bus to connect with the six-three for Peoria and all points West. "There they go now!" exclaimed Charles from the window. "By George! She's a good-looking woman yet!" Fred joined him and looked down. Phil and her mother were passing rapidly on the opposite side of the street. Unconsciously Fred drew off his cap. "She's a very pleasant woman," he remarked. "Phil introduced me to her the other day." "The devil she did! Where did all this happen?" "At Mr. Montgomery's. Phil's staying there while her father's away." "I like your cheek! They say my nerve is pretty well developed, but it isn't equal to that. How did our late aunt--I suppose that's what she is," he grinned--"take you?" "Like a lady, for instance. My going there wasn't as cheeky as you imagine. I was invited." "Phil?" "No; Mr. Montgomery." "There must be a trick in it somewhere. He's a foxy old boy, that Amzi. Has the general appearance of a fool, but he never loses any money." "He's offered me a job," said Fred. "He's _what_?" "Offered me a job."