e　said。　〃So　did　I　at　the　time。　I　can　assure　you；　my　dear　father…in…law；　I　was　very　soon　undeceived。〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you　are　getting　at；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃and　I　don't　care。　You　have　treated　Ruth　darned　badly。〃

〃Oh；　I　have；〃　agreed　Kettering　lightly；　〃but　she's　tough；　you　know。　She's　your　daughter。　Underneath　the　pink…and…white　softness　of　her　she's　as　hard　as　granite。　You　have　always　been　known　as　a　hard　man；　so　I　have　been　told；　but　Ruth　is　harder　than　you　are。　You；　at　any　rate；　love　one　person　better　than　yourself。　Ruth　never　has　and　never　will。〃

〃That　is　enough；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃I　asked　you　here　so　that　I　could　tell　you　fair　and　square　what　I　meant　to　do。　My　girl　has　got　to　have　some　happiness；　and　remember　this；　I　am　behind　her。〃

Derek　Kettering　got　up　and　stood　by　the　mantelpiece。　He　tossed　away　his　cigarette。　When　he　spoke；　his　voice　was　very　quiet。

〃What　exactly　do　you　mean　by　that；　I　wonder？〃　he　said。

〃I　mean；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃that　you　had　better　not　try　to　defend　the　case。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Kettering。　〃Is　that　a　threat？〃

〃You　can　take　it　any　way　you　please；〃　said　Van　Aldin。

Kettering　drew　a　chair　up　to　the　table。　He　sat　down　fronting　the　millionaire。

〃And　supposing；〃　he　said　softly；　〃that；　just　for　argument's　sake；　I　did　defend　the　case？〃

Van　Aldin　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃You　have　not　got　a　leg　to　stand　upon；　you　young　fool。　Ask　your　solicitors；　they　will　soon　tell　you。　Your　conduct　has　been　notorious；　the　talk　of　London。〃

〃Ruth　has　been　kicking　up　a　row　about　Mirelle；　I　suppose。　Very　foolish　of　her。　I　don't　interfere　with　her　friends。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Van　Aldin　sharply。

Derek　Kettering　laughed。

〃I　see　you　don't　know　everything；　sir；〃　he　said