"You've done wonderfully well," was the burden of his conversations with
Roberts; "I should feel certain of success against any one but Gulmore.
And he seems to be losing his head--his perpetual abuse excites sympathy
with you. If we win I shall owe it mainly to you."

But on this particular morning Lawyer Hutchings had something to say to
his friend and helper which he did not like to put into plain words. He
began abruptly:

"You've seen the 'Herald'?"

"Yes; there's nothing in it of interest, is there?"

"No; but 'twas foolish of your father to write that letter saying you
had paid his Kentucky debts."

"I was sorry when I saw it. I know they'll say I got him to write the
letter. But it's only another incident."

"It's true, then? You did pay the money?"

"Yes; I was glad to."

"But it was folly. What had you to do with your father's debts? Every
house to-day should stand on its own foundation."

"I don't agree with you; but in this case there was no question of that
sort. My father very generously impoverished himself to send me to
Europe and keep me there for six years. I owed him the five thousand
dollars, and was only too glad to be able to repay him. You'd have done