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 of the bad whom you don't want to have anything to do with. But that arrangement's too easy for this, Billy; it won't work with me."

Her breath gave out but not her will or her courage; he was holding her so rigidly that he hurt her, but she scarcely knew it. She kept her eyes straight on his and rushed on.

"Father's been false to mother and false to my ideal of him; but he's not been false to his business and the men—the thousands of men with their families—who have work this spring, when millions of men just like them are idle. They have that work because my father's a big, able, useful man. He has absolute honor in his commercial contract; he's a better leader, a better executive and he has more foresight and courage than any other man who would step into his place, if he were ruined. And the world never needed a man like him more than now, when most concerns are laying off men by the thousand or shutting down entirely, and Tri-Lake is taking men on. That's not nothing; that's a big, invaluable quality! It's easy enough to say he's bad; but, in all but one part of his life, who is better? Knock down father and who, besides Mr. Stanway, would thank you? Anyhow, I'll not see Mr. Stanway taking his place. But I was almost ready to wreck everything, for the sake of feeling right, when you came."

"Then why in the world aren't you now?"

"Because you're so sure it must be right; and right isn't always the best; it's only always the obvious thing to do."

"Rinderfeld," said Billy, "I suppose, taught you that."