Any publicity of any sort was of course out
of the question. No wonder that his frown grew heavier as he realized
more completely the helplessness of his position. He was a man
unaccustomed to failure, whose career through life had been one smooth
road of success and triumph. His touch seemed to have transformed the
very dust heaps into gold, and the barren wastes into prosperous cities.
The shadow of failure had never fallen across his path. Now that it had
come he was bewildered. An ordinary reverse he could have met resolutely
enough. This was something stupendous, something against which the
ordinary weapons of his will were altogether powerless. Try as he might,
he could not see his way ahead. He was too deeply involved for any one
to gauge the position accurately. A knock at the door. Phineas Duge
looked up, and paused for a moment in his restless walk. He opened it
cautiously and let in young Smedley, a tall, broad-shouldered young man.
"Come in, Smedley," he said shortly. "I have been wanting you."
The young man looked straight across at Virginia, still stretched upon
the floor, and he took a quick step in her direction.
"What did you find was the matter with Miss Longworth, sir?" he asked.
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