"
Stella nodded assent.
"Well," she said, "I don't know why you should imagine that it could
offend me to hear you say that. I understood that amongst you who
control the money-markets there is no friendship, nor any right and
wrong. At least if there is, it is the man who succeeds who is right,
and the man who fails who is wrong."
"To a certain extent you are right, Miss Duge," he answered, "but you
must remember that there is an old adage, 'Honour amongst thieves!'"
She shrugged her shoulders.
"Well," she said, "we won't discuss that. You have got so far in your
story as to tell me that you believe my father is trying to get the best
of you all, and you seem to be a little nervous about it. Well, I know
my father, and I don't mind telling you that I should not be in the
least surprised if you were right."
He lit a cigarette and passed the box across the table to her.
"Good!" he said. "It is a pleasure to talk to you, Miss Duge. You grasp
everything so quickly. Now you understand the position, then. There are
three or four of us, including myself, on one side, and your father on
the other. Supposing it was in your power to help either, and your
interests lay with us," he added, speaking with a certain meaning in his
tone--"well, to cut it short, how should you feel about it?"
"You mean," she said slowly, "would my filial devotion outweigh--other
considerations?"
He looked at her admiringly.
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