"I, for one, owe him a debt of gratitude for relieving me of all
financial anxiety. Besides you are always thoroughly capable of taking
the reins in a family crisis."
"Yes, but it's telling on me. I notice it in bridge. I am not the
player I was a year ago. This trial of Lee Dillingham's has been a
hideous strain. Of course, if he had been convicted, I should have
compelled Margery to break her engagement, and that would have
complicated things frightfully. You know his grandfather, the old
general, is the largest stockholder in the People's Bank, and Basil
insists that he must not be offended. That was one reason why I was so
anxious to keep Don out of the way. Even if Lee was guilty, Don
couldn't appear against him when he was engaged to Margery. The only
possible course was to hush up the entire affair with as little
publicity as possible. Thank heaven, General Dillingham has gotten Lee
off, and I am beginning to breathe again."
"And you have heard nothing from Donald?"
"No, indeed, and I hope I won't for the present. I wrote immediately
after the shooting to every place I could possibly think of his going,
and implored him, if he had a grain of gratitude for me, or affection
for Margery, that he would keep away, and not even let his whereabouts
be known until this wretched affair had blown over.
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