"Mary, dear!" cried Zoe, all that was maternal protective in her nature, asserting itself. "Tell me all about it." The unruly mop of her brown hair mingled with the gold of her friend's, and presently, between sobs, the story was told--an old, old story enough. "He will have to resign his commission," she sobbed. "And then he will have to go abroad! Oh, Zoe! I know it must come soon. Even _I_ cannot expect him, nor wish him to dance attendance on that odious Julius Rohscheimer for ever! And he makes so little headway." Zoe's little foot beat a soft tatoo upon the carpet. "I wonder--will there always be a Julius Rohscheimer for him to dance attendance upon!" she said softly. Mary raised her tearful eyes. "What do you mean, Zoe?" "Has it never occurred to you that--Severac Bablon will ultimately make a poor man of Rohscheimer?" "Oh! I should not like to think that, because----" "If he went that far, he might do the same for Pa. I can't believe that, Mary. Pa's awful mean, but after all his money is cleaner than Rohscheimer's." Mary dried her eyes. "I hardly know whether to regard that strange man, Severac Bablon, as a friend or a foe," she said. "He certainly seems to confine his outrages to those who have plenty but object to spending it." "Except on themselves! He's a friend right enough, Mary. I believe he is anxious to reveal all these rich people in a new light, to whitewash them. If only they would change their ideas and do some good with their money, I don't think they would be troubled any more by Severac Bablon. You never hear of Mr. Elschild being robbed by him--nor any of the family suffering in any way." "Mr. Elschild received one of the mysterious cards, and he has sent a big cheque to the _Gleaner_ fund." "He has to keep up appearances, Mary, don't you see? But it is certain that he sent the money quite voluntarily. He did not wait to be squeezed. I wish Pa would come to his senses. If, instead of spending a small fortune on private detectives, he would start to use his money for good, he would have no further need for the Pinkerton men. Certainly he would not be made to buy airships for England!" A smile dawned upon Lady Mary's face. "Isn't it preposterous!" she said. "The idea of raising money for such a purpose from people like Baron Hague!" "Baron Hague left for Berlin this morning. We shall probably never know under what circumstances he issued his cheque for fifty thousand pounds! Doesn't it seem just awful, with all this money floating about, that poor Sir Richard is nearly stranded for quite a trifle!" "Oh, it is dreadful! And I can see no way out." "No," murmured Zoe. "Yet there must be a way." She walked to the window, and stood looking out thoughtfully upon the Embankment far below.