never would have put through, by his methods, what his father had done. This was true; and young Lucas withheld the obvious rejoinder that his father's methods would instantly start Federal prosecutions now. Lucas, Junior, continued to trim to the times net, who had been long enough in the offices to have some insight into the Cullen methods, wished that his father would not "guff" the public quite so hard. But his father undeniably was an influential man; and Bennet admired him immensely.
"Anything important bothering you, boy?" Lucas asked cordially.
Bennet did not mean to betray that he was worrying; he had planned only to start a chat with his father, as he frequently did when they both were about late at night and neither sleepy. Then he had meant to mention Ethel casually; but now he could not.
"Ethel came back to town this afternoon, father," he said.
"Yes," Lucas said. "You saw her? Where's she staying?"
Bennet informed him. "She's got herself in no end of a row with grandfather," he added.
"Yes," Lucas said again. "Your grandfather sent down a letter on the train she took. I found it here to-night."
Bennet, following his glance, observed an envelope with a special delivery stamp on his father's dressing stand. "Oh, then he told you all about the row."
"Yes."
"She must have gone loony, father. I couldn't do anything with her. I was thinking if you or mother would send for her or go to see her to-morrow morning, you could knock some sense into her."
