"Why not accept Mrs. Thatcher's explanation until you have a better one?" Cosden asked, drawing his chair nearer to hers. "Because it's too fishy, and my curiosity is aroused." "In that case I'm sure you'll find out all about it," he said smiling. "Why aren't you interested?" "I'm perfectly comfortable," he explained, "and so entirely satisfied with the present company that I can spare Hamlen, Monty, and even Mrs. Thatcher just as well as not." "Then you're going to leave me to do the work?" she demanded. "That's just like a man!" "I'm glad they're gone," Cosden admitted. "It gives me just the chance I've been waiting for: will you marry me?" "Again?" Edith inquired. "No; just this once." "It would serve you right if I did!" "I dare you to!" "No! no! no! no!" she cried. "Give me an option for thirty days." "You silly!" she laughed. "For a sensible man you can be more kinds of foolish than any one I know." "Flattery doesn't hurt anybody unless he swallows it," Cosden retorted complacently. Whither their gibes would have carried them is needless to consider, for they were interrupted by the approach of a motor-car up the driveway. "Monty has made a quick trip," Cosden observed, "now you can satisfy your curiosity." "On the contrary," Edith retorted rising, "the plot thickens. That is Harry Thatcher. What in the world has happened to send him motoring down here at ten o'clock in the morning?" They passed through the hallway to the _porte cochère_ on the opposite side of the house. Thatcher was just descending from the car. "Hello!" he greeted Edith, who was ahead. "Where's Marian?" "Up-stairs. What brings you home at this time of day?" "Don't disturb her yet," he exclaimed, disregarding her question. "I want a word with Cosden first. You'll excuse us?" Locking his arm through Cosden's Thatcher led him back onto the piazza which the two had just left. "What's wrong?" Cosden asked. "Market gone to pieces?" "It's hell,--nothing less," Thatcher answered, speaking with an excitement unnatural to him. "I left New York at four o'clock this morning. I've come to you, Cosden, as a last resort. We've fought each other on every deal we've ever been in, so you understand how hard I'm pushed. If you're fixed so that you can put me next to a bunch of cold, hard cash, you can have anything I control at a fraction of its value. This is your chance to make your everlasting fortune if you can command the cash." "You don't mean it!" Cosden exclaimed. "Are you caught as bad as that?"