"Tell me; are you going to help that man force my cousin into giving up her home ?" Again John smiled.

"Well, to be frank," he said, "since it IS her home and she doesn't wish to sell it I can't for the life of me see how she can be forced into selling, with or without my valuable aid.

Miss Howes, I--" "Stop! You persist in treating this affair as a joke.

It is NOT a joke--to my cousin, or to me.

Did you tell that man you would help him ?" "No." "I knew it! I was certain of it! Of course you didn't!" "Pardon me, Miss Howes," put in Daniels.