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Show had their encounter. The Judge would bring great pressure to bear on Jeffrey in order to induce that young man to come back. He just might succeed. And then what? The answer seemed rather obvious. obvi-ous. Of course Jeff would be taken into the firm. He should be. But the practice would not warrant the addition and both young men would be subsisting on Judge Castle's Cas-tle's charity to some extent. In time it would be apparent that Victor was the odd man in the combination. (To be concluded imiimllli iiiiw tor felt it keenly. He knew that in some way they were closer than ever before. There was a gentleness gentle-ness in Audrey's eyes when she lifted them to his that gave him a new thrill of happiness. "Many happy returns, Vic." "Thank you, Audrey. It's all been very beautiful, but I'm afraid it's late." Audrey followed him into the hall without speaking. Before saying goodnight, Victor paused for a last look at the slim white figure in the dim glow of the hall lamp. Never had Audrey appeared so beautiful in his eyes, so altogether desirable. "Tell me something," he demanded in a low impetuous tone, "have I . . . I'm not slipping, am I?" Audrey slowly shrook her head. "No, Vic. You've been very sweet." With a swift movement he caught her nearest hand and pressed it softly to his lips. As if unable to trust himself, he turned without a word and left her standing stand-ing there. He was whistling happily when he let himself in his own front door and was about to extinguish the lamp on the table when he caught sight of a bit of paper. A note, in his landlady's precise I handwriting. "Mr. Quinn, law for quite some time. He turned out to be a very decent chap ofter he was convinced that I was done 1 with the fleshpots and wanted to settle down. I'm in the sales. Strange to say, I've been getting quite a kick out of it." "That's great." "Maybe. The old gentleman has a notion at the moment that it might be a fair idea to send me abroad for a change. There's an opening in the Brussels office and I can speak French well enough to argue for our product." "That sounds fine. What does Mrs. Castle think? All set to go with you, I suppose." "Not exactly. As a matter of fact, Vic, she isn't here for a time." Victor felt his heart sink. Something Some-thing wrong between Olive and Jeff. That accounted for his summons. sum-mons. "Do you care to tell me where she is?" he asked quietly. I "Reno. In residence." There was a moment's silence, broken by Victor's sympathetic, "Im sorry." "But not surprised," Jeffrey finished bitterly. "I guess I asked for it. I won't contest, of course. And there you are." "But I can't get it yet," Victor pondered. "I knew that Olive was Chapter XIX Synopsis Audrey Swan, nicknamed "Cy-glc," "Cy-glc," is lie daughter of a highly resected horse trainer whose farm adjoins the estate of Judge Castlo. The Judge's only son, Jeffrey, lias been Audrey's friend since childhood. Ho is educated to go Int olils father's law office in Puiville, but marries Olive Cooper, who scoffs at the idea anil refuses to live in the beautiful beauti-ful homo given to thera by Judge (astlo as a wedding present. Jeffs friend, Vic Quinn, 'in love with Audrey, who does not reciprocate, becomes the Judge's partner. Jeffrey, Jeff-rey, tired of Idleness, gets a job with Olive's father. He starts as a subordinate, to bo promoted on merit. Olivo feels humiliated that ho is not given an executive position. posi-tion. Audrey and Vic Quinn are Invited to a party at Judge Castle's Cas-tle's home. Audrey laughed softly as she said: "I don't wonder, Mr. Quinn. She's been a pretty constant bother both-er to you, I'd say. But since you've been so uncomplaining about It all, Miss Swan is going to ask you to come in for a few minutes." A few moments later they were standing at the sideboard. A little feeling of constraint came over them as they hesitated with their glasses poised. The atmosphere seemed charged with a sudden change in their relationship. Vic- would do to them ... for them, I mean. Think it over." "Not necessary, old man. It's decent of you. Just what I would expect. But that's out. No matter what you do. For the present, I'm staying away from Parville. After it all blows over, that will be something else. I have no plans. But, believe it or not, this experience ex-perience with Harrison's has given me a lot of confidence in myself." "Look here, Jeff, we seem to hovo Ihp rnrds mnstlv face UP. from the city after spending an evening with Jeffrey." The Judge tugged off his spectacles spec-tacles and frowned. "Well?" he demanded harshly. "Jeffrey looks fine . . . been working hard. He is with the Harrison office and by all accounts ac-counts is doing well." "Humph! And did he ask you to submit that report?" "He did not ask me to tell you i anything. Not even that Mrs. Castle Cas-tle is residing in Reno at the pres Why did you call me last night? Did you merely want to spill? Or are you willing to have me help you if I can?" "Guess it was partly habit, Vie. I was beginning to feel pretty ragged and I thought mayhe you could brace up the old morale a bit. You have." "What about your father getting get-ting in on this?" "I don't know. I've never told anybody about our last session. He practically threw me out, even if it was done with a fine gesture." "Let me tell your father. He's going to find out sooner or later. I believe it will give him a big lift." Jeffrey drained the last of his ale and sat staring , in deep preoccupation pre-occupation at the empty glass. "On one condition," was the . final judgment. "Exactly one, Vic." I "Say on." "That you don't pull any fine gesture on your own account . . . about easing out of the picture and that rot." "Maybe he'll ease me out." "Hardly. You can make it plain that I'm not coming home to stay, now or in the future. I should like I to feel free to visit, on my mother's account, vou know. And ent time." The Judge sat back weakly in his chair. "Good God!" he ejaculated. ejacu-lated. "She's divorcing him! When will he be here?" "He.'s not coming back, sir. Made 'it very plain. In fact, he's talking about going abroad. But you will be able to find him at the office or at Mr. Harrison's house. He's still staying there." Judge Castle fumbled his massive mas-sive watch from his waistcoat pocket. "I can make the nine-forty. nine-forty. Quinn, will you phone Mrs. Castle that I have been called away? She will hear from me this evening." Victor Quinn put in a disquieting disquiet-ing two days during Judge Castle's Cas-tle's absence, unable to overcome a vague forboding that made him as restless as a caged animal. This last turn of affairs might affect his future almost as much as Jeffrey's. It was a queer thing. His affection affec-tion for Jeffrey was genuine; he believed that he had proved it. Jeff had said that he would not return to Parville under any circumstances, cir-cumstances, but that was before he had seen his father. By this time the two Castles would have "Dear sir. the long distance wants you. Even if it is late when you get in she says. ! Respectively, i "Mrs. Caroline Asher." In a few moments a familiar : voice came to his ear. "That you, ! , Vic? Hope I didn't get you out of bed." "No. You caught me getting in. What's up? Anything amiss?" "Plenty. Vic, I've got to see you, and under the circumstances I can't well come down. Can you get up here by tomorrow evening? Or I'll meet you part way, if you'd rather." "I was planning to come up in the next day or so. I can make it tomorrow. Where shall I find you?" "Make it the bar of the Adams. About six. I'll be hanging around." "Jeff, you're all right?" "Sure. A trifle sloppy. Just another an-other case of the well-known jam. Thanks a lot, old man. Be seein' you." When Victor Quinn hurried Into : the Adams House bar he glanced i apprehensively along the line of men at the mahogany. When Jeffrey called him he had sounded sound-ed as if he might have been drinking, drink-ing, and by this time he might not be in shape for a satisfactory conference. To Victor's relief, Jeffrey was impeccably dressed and apparently apparent-ly sober. He grinned cheerfully as his friend approached, but he looked haggard in spite of the attempt. "Saw you sizing up the bar flies," he laughed. "All ready to drag me out, weren't you? Sit down. Mighty glad to see you." "Glad to see you." Victor returned, re-turned, scanning his face closely "You look as if you'd been working work-ing hard. What have you beer doing with yourself?" J1 "Me? Oh, I'm in the way of be coming a captain of indutsry Been working for my daddy-in very much averse to coming back to Parville. But I supposed she would be delighted to have her father take you in." "That's the whole point, Vic. The vice president's jobs were all taken and I elected to start in and learn the business. I couldn't see my way clear to take every other afternoon off and play around all night. Anyway, matters kept getting get-ting worse and worse until the I big bust came. I could have bought salvation any time by turning turn-ing gigolo or something. And I I couldn't." "Naturally not. May I ask what Mr. Harrison thinks?" i "Oh, he took my side right from j the start. He wants me to stay on' as if nothing had happened. That Brussels idea was sort of an easy out for me. But I can't see it, of course." "Why?" "Oh, maybe I can't quite down it for some reason or other." The waiter arrived at that point and the subject had to be dropped for the time being. The two men ate in silence until Victor remarked remark-ed in a casual fashion: "Had a! very pleasant time last evening at your house." "How are the folks?" "Your mother didn't look so well, Jeff. I knew that she had rather a difficult winter of it, but she insists she's much better." "Listen, fella." Jeff laid down his knife and fork and looked ' steadily into his friend's eyes. "I j know what you're leading up to and you may as well understand now that there's nothing doing. ' Don't get the idea that I don't know what I've done to my people. You'll never know what I've paid ' for that, or how I dreamed of making it up to them by becoming 1 a success at something. And now that's all washed up along with everything else." "Listen, Jeff. You belong there. '. I don't. Oh, I know you're getting 1 in your diplomatic fashion, you ! might drop a gentle hint that the i first move is up to him." "O.K." "I have your word for it?" "My word of honor." Victor had attended to the one errand he had in the city and daylight day-light found him on the road to Parville. He stopped en route for a hasty breakfast and was in the . office five minutes after Judge Castle arrived. He walked into the latter's ' room, closed the door after him ; and plunged into a situation that ' he had been attempting to re- hearse as he drove. "Good morn-. morn-. ing. Judge. I have some information informa-tion that I believe I should share ' with you. I have just driven down ready to spring that one about not knowing any law. All -that job takes is a little horse sense, no professional wizardry. What's more, Miss Annie seems to be getting get-ting well. It wouldn't surprise me much to see her back looking for her old job. It would be a cinch for you. I don't want to seem to be going soft, Jeff, but I can't help thinking of your father and mother. You've no idea what it |