"But they can be sold. I don't want either of them. I'm afraid in the
big car," said Viola, "and the yacht isn't seaworthy, I've heard. I
wouldn't take a trip in her."

"I don't know anything about that," said LeGrand Blossom. "But even if
the car and yacht were sold at a forced sale they would not bring
anything like what they cost. I have gone carefully over your father's
affairs, as you requested me, and I tell you frankly they are in bad
shape."

"What can be done?" asked Miss Carwell.

"I don't know," LeGrand Blossom frankly admitted. "You may call in an
expert, if you like, to go over the books; but I don't believe he would
come to any other conclusion than I have. As a matter of fact, I bad a
somewhat selfish motive in looking into your father's affairs of late.
You know I was thinking of going into partnership with him, and - and -"
He did not finish.

Viola nodded.

"Perhaps I might say that he was good enough to offer me the chance,"
the young man went on. And, as I was to invest what was, to me, a large
sum, I wanted to see how matters were. So I examined the books carefully,
as your father pressed me to do. At that time his affairs were in good
shape. But of late he had lost a lot of money."

"Will it make any difference to us?" and Viola included her aunt in her
gesture.