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 there he was when the call came from a newspaper office for Mr. Rountree.

He was wanted because there was news from the East about his son. What news?

"Jay ran off the day before yesterday and got married," the voice said.

Married! Ellen clenched tight the telephone transmitter and receiver; yet the word was no surprise. She had known he was to be married; but she had not known he had been married to Lida for two days. She had to keep her head about her; for the newspaper was asking something and Lew Alban, leaning close, was listening.

"Hadn't you heard of it? Didn't his father know he was married," the voice challenged her.

"Of course Mr. Rountree knew," she said.

"Did he? Did he know who to?"

"Miss Lida Haige, the daughter of Mrs. Imbrie Lytle of New York."

"Tell us about her. She was in school, we hear. He was in Harvard . . ."

Close beside her, Lew Alban bent, listening to the clack in the telephone receiver. She shut off the conversation quickly and confronted Lew, who licked his thin lips before he said:

"So he went back to get married."

Ellen sat shaking, but not because of thinking of Jay married to Lida Haige; her mind did go to that, but to Jay, married, and at the mercy, perhaps, of Lew Alban.

"His father knew, you said; was that true?" he inquired.

"Yes."