and signed his name to it. Then he turned again to his secretary and said significantly, "You may go to lunch now, Miss Gorman, if you like." Miss Gorman had been with Sanford Drake long enough to know the meaning of that. She put on her hat and left at once. Sanford Drake handed the check to his nephew.
"When we first discussed this deal," he said, "I promised you ten per-cent. of the commissions the firm got out of it and I said your share would amount to about $250,000. There isn't time to figure it out exactly now and I have no authority to pay you in full until the stuff is actually delivered and Chartres pays and we receive our money fromthe mills. But I want to give you this check in advance because I think perhaps you can use . . . it."
Dudley accepted it gratefully. How he would open Carmelita's eyes! He could hardly wait to get out to her.
Sanford Drake seemed to have something further to say and seemed to be a little doubtful, as to the propriety of saying it. Presently he took a chance. "Dudley," he cleared his throat, "I don't mind saying I didn't care especially for you when you first came to work forme. I quarreled with your father because he exasperated me. He was an impractical dreamer. I wanted to help you out but you
