"Yes," he said, "I mean just that. Everybody knows the N. Y. & N. J. crowd own the majority of the stock in the M. & N., and you know it, too. What’s more, this wreck was their direct fault. I can prove that and I mean to. That’s why they’re after me: I mean to prove it if they don’t square things. And so they’re afraid of me." "Ridiculous!" said Forbes. "That’s just the trouble with you, Huber: you’re going about making wild, unfounded statements like this." "I ought not to tell even you two," Luke answered; "but the fact is, I have letters written by one of these men that will substantiate every word I say." "You mean they’ll show these people owned the road?" "Practically, and ordered the poor rails that caused that wreck." "Absurd: they couldn’t do that. They didn’t operate the road. This sort of thing is what is upsetting legitimate business: a few men going on the way you are. I don’t think these people at the top are any better than they should be—I’ve often said so to you—but you can’t go around calling them murderers. That’s ridiculous." Before Luke could reply, Betty again shifted the issue. "Luke, you won’t do it?" she appealed. "You’ll give it up—for father’s sake?" He started to speak, but she dropped her father’s hand and came to him with hers upraised. "No," she said; "don’t tell me now. Don’t say anything now. Don’t speak. You’ll only be sorry. You’re hurt and angry. Of course, you are. Go away. Wait. Go away just for to-night and think it over, and come back to-morrow." Her hand crept into his. "I know it’s awfully hard for you to give it all up, even for a few years. I know what it means to you. Don’t think I don’t know, Luke. But——" She looked into his face. "Please, dear?" His face was set. "Good-by," he said. "You’ll be back to-morrow?" He freed himself. "Yes," he said. "Good-night." §7. It was simply that he could not stay any longer. He left the house with his mind made up; he would not withdraw from the fight for the district-attorneyship. To keep his word, he would go back to see her next day, but he would go back only to end what he had not the heart to end to-night. The thing had ended itself. This was the conclusion of all his chances for Betty. They were over. He loved her. He went away from her with the certainty that nothing which life might henceforth rob him of could be the equal of this loss. Yet he did not blame her. Brought up as he had been, he believed that her attitude was the inevitable one and the right. He had ventured that single question about the test of her love for him, but he felt that it was an unfair question. Until a girl married, her first duty was toward her parents. His own duty and Betty’s duty clashed. There was no possibility of compromise. Forbes was a weakling, but, in cleaving to Forbes, Betty, Luke felt, did the only thing that she rightly could do.