"It was very good of you to come to see me," said Paula, somewhat distantly. He stared at her in well-feigned astonishment. "To see you?" he exclaimed. "Why, I'm up here for my own health. Mother is with me. She wants to see you. You know I'm going to spend a couple of weeks here and rest up. I've just looked the place over and I tell you it beats all your summer hotels to a standstill. No bands of music, no bridge parties for mother, no late suppers for me, no late hours, not even a golf link! Oh, it's just the place for me. I'm glad I came--I'm all run down, and I--I need----" Suddenly he noticed Paula's pale face and traces of recent weeping. He stopped chattering and for the first time looked serious. But the girl was not deceived. She knew that his apparent carelessness was only make-believe. With a forced smile, she said: "You're trying to cheer me up." "Why shouldn't I?" he laughed. "Don't you deserve it?" Mr. Ricaby was impatient to hear what news the young man had brought. "You came to see me?" he interrupted anxiously. "Incidentally, yes," smiled Tod. "How did you know I was here?" demanded the lawyer. "Missed you at your office. Listen, we'll just talk business a few minutes, Miss Marsh, and then devote ourselves to the enjoyment of the place. Gee, what air! what ozone! what trees----" Suddenly stopping, he scratched his hand vigorously. "And what mosquitoes! Now, in the first place, Ricaby, I'm your witness--you can depend on me. I can prove that Jimmy needed money--and that he was compelled to resort to desperate means to raise it." The lawyer looked at him keenly. "Are you aware," he said, "that it will involve your mother?" "Your mother!" cried Paula, astonished. "Oh, no! You--can't do that. Oh, Tod, your mother!" "She's all right," cried the young man. "She has left Jimmy----" "Left him!" cried Mr. Ricaby. "Yes, left him for good and all! I explained his dastardly conduct to her, and when I refused to live in the same house with him, she said: 'If you won't live with him, neither will I.' So she just left him, and if I can help it she'll never go back to him. You can count on mother and me, and I think that between us we ought to bottle up Jimmy and Mr. Cooley." The lawyer held out his hand. "I've done you a wrong, Mr. Chase, but I--you'll forgive me, won't you?" "Don't speak of it," laughed Tod good-humoredly. "You may be of great value," went on the lawyer hastily. "Of course, it depends on what kind of evidence you have. What proof have you?" "The best of proof," replied the young man mysteriously, "but don't let us bother her with it-- I'll show you my proofs later on." Mr. Ricaby's face brightened. Perhaps they might yet be able to trap the wily Cooley, after all. Thoughtfully he said: "If you could persuade your mother to furnish us with some evidence of his intention to defraud----" Paula protested.