Why don't you let her alone ?" pursued the father.
"For that very reason," said Ferdy, recovering his composure and his insolent air.
"-- -- it! Let the woman alone," said his father.

"Your fooling around her has already cost us the backing of Wentworth & Son--and, incidentally, two or three hundred thousand." The younger man looked at the other with a flash of rage.

This quickly gave way to a colder gleam.
"Really, sir, I could not lower myself to measure a matter of sentiment by so vulgar a standard as your -- -- money." His air was so intolerable that the father's patience quite gave way.
"Well, by -- --! you'd better lower yourself, or you'll have to stoop lower than that.

Creamer, Crustback & Company are out with us; the Wentworths have pulled out; so have Kestrel and others.

Your deals and corners have cost me a fortune.