"The father of Lily Porter who has instituted a suit against my—against Hayward Graham?" The tone was more accusing. "Yes, suh." Black Henry wished the suit hadn’t been instituted. But he remembered again he had been sent for and he braced up a little. "Now what is the nature of that suit?" The President was somewhat in fear of his own question, for all his bravado of manner. "Breach o’ promise," Henry answered shortly. "Anything else?" "Nothin’ but breach o’ promise to my daughter Lily. He was engaged to her and married your daughter, or was already married to her, I don’ know which." For five seconds a murderous passion all but got control of Mr. Phillips’ will. He turned away and closed his eyes tight till he had subdued it. "What evidence have you that he was engaged to your daughter?" Henry Porter knew he was a fool to give away his case to the opposition, but the President’s eyes and manner were too compelling for him. "My daughter says so and—and I’ve seen enough myself, and besides that he has written letters to her. I reckon we’ve got evidence enough all right." "Well, I have evidence that there is not a word of it true, and I sent for you to tell you you’d better drop it. You’ll find it a profitless—more than that—a _very expensive_ undertaking." The last statement was unfortunate. It struck fire in Old Henry’s pet vanity. "Oh, I guess I can stan’ the expense all right," he rejoined with the oddest possible mixture of deference and defiance. "You can, can you!" said Mr. Phillips sharply, his anger beginning to redden. "But I tell you again you can’t get a verdict from the courts—no, sir, not for a cent—so what’s the use?" "I don’t need the money." ... Clearly Mr. Phillips had given the purse-proud old darkey the wrong cue. "Then what the devil are you after?" "That young nig—young man is mos’ too sassy. He’s got to know his place." "His place!" Mr. Phillips’ face was again twisted in wrath. But wrath could not serve Helen’s cause. He stifled it. "Yes; he mus’n’ come flyin’ roun’ my daughter for fun, and then go off when he fin’s somebody mo’ to his notion, and th’ow his impidence in my face." Through all his blinding anger Mr. Phillips could see clearly enough to realize that it was indeed not a matter of money, but of insult. He was more and more inclined to believe Hayward’s statement that there was little or no basis for the suit. But that didn’t help matters in the least. "Now look here, Porter," he said in his most vigorous and decided manner, "I am convinced your claim has no real basis in fact, but is the outcome of pique pure and simple. Nevertheless, it must be settled here, to-night; and I’m willing to see that you don’t lose any money in the way of expenses and lawyer’s fees for the procedure so far. To that end I will have Hayward pay you a thousand dollars if you will withdraw the suit to-night. What do you say?"