given me more good times than I ever had in my whole life before. But I
didn't know the money wasn't his or I wouldn't have gone with him."

"And I suppose you thought it was all right for a young man in Mac's
position to be paying attention to a young woman in yours?"

Mr. Clarke studied her face intently, but her fearless eyes did not
falter under his scrutiny.

"Are you trying to implicate Mac in this matter to spare Lewis, is that
it?"

"No, sir. I don't say it was Mr. Mac. I only say it wasn't Dan. There are
some people you just _know_ are straight, and Dan's one of them."

Mr. Clarke got up and took a turn about the room, his hands locked behind
him. Her last shot had evidently taken effect.

"Tell me exactly what Mac told you about this Meyers note," he demanded.

Nance recounted the facts in the case, ending with the promise Mac had
made her to tell his father everything and begin anew.

"I wish I had known this Saturday!" Mr. Clarke said, sinking heavily
into his chair. "I came down on the boy pretty severely on another score
and gave him little chance to say anything. Did he happen to mention the
exact amount of his indebtedness to Meyers?"

"He said it was five hundred and sixty dollars."