"Now, Tod," he said angrily, "you must really go! Don't you understand this is a--a--very sad---- Please go at once." "Behave yourself, Jimmy," laughed Tod, shaking his stepfather off. "Damn!" ejaculated Jimmy. "Young man," said Mr. Cooley sternly, "this is very serious--believe me." Tod grinned. "That's the trouble with you, Cooley. You take things too seriously." "But this is serious, sir," thundered the lawyer. "All right-- I'll be serious, too," retorted the young man. "What's the trouble?" "Your son?" inquired Dr. McMutrie blandly. "My wife's son," replied Jimmy sourly. The examiner rose. "Just a moment, sir," he said. Drawing Tod aside, he crossed the room with him, conversing in a whisper, while the others watched in silence, Paula in an agony of suspense. Suddenly the young man started and exclaimed: "Good Lord! No--no--no--not for a moment. It's a lie!" For all reply Dr. McMutrie handed the young man his visiting card. "I don't care a d----" cried Tod wrath fully. "Excuse me, sir--excuse me--I'll--I'll--well, I'll be-- Pardon me, won't you, sir? My feelings got away with me." The examiner bowed and returned to his seat. "You'd better go home, Todhunter," said Jimmy, severely. "No, James," retorted his stepson calmly. "I think I'll stay here." "But this is a private commission, sir!" roared Mr. Cooley angrily. "Well, let's make it public," retorted Tod quickly. Turning to Paula, he said: "Would you like me to stay here, Miss Marsh?" "Oh--please--please!" she said imploringly. "It's impossible!" shouted the lawyer angrily. "I object." "Nothing is impossible when a lady requests it," rejoined Tod determinedly. "Go on with the examination! I'm going to stay--don't trouble, Cooley--I'll find a chair." He looked around and took a seat near the fireplace. Mr. Cooley, unable to control himself, moved towards him with threatening gesture. In another moment he would have attempted to eject him forcibly, but Jimmy restrained him: "Better let him stay," he whispered. "Very well," grumbled the lawyer, "but young man--perfect silence!" "Go on now," grinned Tod, "go on--never mind me." The examiner resumed the questioning: "Miss Marsh--you have stated on several occasions that when you came in for your father's estate you would give large sums of money to various charities?" "Yes." "Did you say you were going to"--he stopped and looked at a paper in his hand. Reading, he went on--"found an institution for the development of the psychic self in animals?" "No!" she replied, with an emphatic shake of her head. Dr. Zacharie threw up his hands with a gesture meant to express utter disbelief in her denial. "The money," went on Paula, "was to be expended for the prevention of animal torture in the name of science." Mr. Cooley now took a hand in the cross-examination.