wrong."

The door had not been locked again. He entered at the call of Terry and
found him leaning over the hearth stirring up the pile of charred paper
to make it burn more freely. A shadow crossed the face of Terry as he saw
his visitor, but he banished it at once and rose to greet him. In his
heart Vance was a little moved. He went straight to the younger man and
took his hand.

"Elizabeth has told me," he said gently, and he looked with a moist eye
into the face of the man who, if his plans worked out, would be either
murderer or murdered before the close of the next day. "I am very sorry,
Terence."

"I thought you came to congratulate me," said Terry, withdrawing his
hand.

"Congratulate you?" echoed Vance, with unaffected astonishment.

"For having learned the truth," said Terry. "Also, for having a father
who was a strong man."

Vance could not resist the opening.

"In a way, I suppose he was," he said dryly. "And if you look at it in
that way, I do congratulate you, Terence!"

"You've always hated me, Uncle Vance," Terry declared. "I've known it all
these years. And I'll do without your congratulations."