Was the wiping out of Gilbert's fortune part of the System?
he asked himself.
As he hunted through the rooms, almost deserted at this hour, his eyes searching for his friend, a new thought popped into his head, and with such force that it bowled him over into a chair, where he sat staring straight in front of him.

Tonight, he suddenly remembered, was the night of the dinner his uncle was to give to some business friends--"A Gold-Mine Dinner," his aunt had called it.

His cheeks flamed again when he thought that these very men had helped in the Mukton swindle.

To interrupt them, though, at their feast--or even to mention the subject to his uncle while the dinner was in progress--was, of course, out of the question.

He would stay where he was; dine alone, unless Garry came in, and then when the last man had left his uncle's house he would have it out with him.
Biffton was the only man who disturbed his solitude.