"Good Lord," gasped Graydon, helplessly pushing the oysters away.
"Why are you telling me this?"

"Oh, it was a great joke. It's a good dinner story. The joke comes
in at the end. Both those fellows got tight and went home with their
arms about one another. By the way, Graydon, what do you hear from
your father?"

Graydon looked uncomfortably at Jane, whose face was set with
distress.

"Elias, you've got no right to--" began the young man coldly.

"I beg your pardon if I've offended," said Droom abjectly. "I--I
don't know the etiquette of small talk--forgive me. I was interested,
that is all."

"It may interest you to know that I had a long talk with Mr. Clegg
this afternoon. He says there is a movement on foot to secure a
pardon for father. Father hasn't asked anyone to intercede. It is
known that he will go to England to live as soon as he is released.
That's an inducement, you see," he said bitterly.

Droom's face turned a frozen white; his steely eyes took on a
peculiar glaze, and his hand grasped his leg as if it were a vise
intended to hold him in his chair.

"I haven't told you about it, Jane," went on Graydon. "Mr. Clegg
has seen father and he says he is indifferent about it. He intends