The attorney’s cool, incisive manner brought Bert Dodge to his senses.

A deathly fear assailed him.  His knees began to shake.

“The case is too well fixed against me,” he replied hoarsely.  “Ye—–­es, I guess you had better drop it all.”

The elder Dodge now sprang to his feet.

“Drop it, you young scoundrel?” he yelled at his son.  “Why did you ever drag me into any such infamous piece of business?  I went into this believing that you told me the truth.”

“I—–­I did, sir,” stammered Bert.

“Bah, you are a perjurer, you young villain!” raged his father.  “Griffin, this matter cannot go a step further.  You will destroy those miserable affidavits before my eyes!”

“I am sorry, Mr. Dodge,” replied the lawyer, “but I am not at liberty to do that.”

“You can’t destroy the affidavits?” howled Bert, his voice breaking.  “Why not!  Aren’t you our lawyer?”

“I am even more an officer of the court than I am anyone’s attorney,” replied Mr. Griffin gravely.  “A lawyer has no right to conceal a crime when he knows one has been committed not even to save his own clients.”

“Wh—–­what do you propose to do, Griffins?” demanded the elder Dodge, shaking.

“Why, I hope to save your worthless son from prosecution, Mr. Dodge,” returned the lawyer.  “But a crime has been committed, in that your son procured others to swear to false affidavits True, the affidavits have not yet been presented in court, and on that I base my hope that the matter will not have to go further.  But I feel in honor bound to submit the facts to the district attorney, and to be governed by his instructions.”

“You are going to try to send me to jail?” gasped Dodge, clutching at the ledge of a bookcase to save himself from falling.

“I am going to try to persuade the district attorney to let the matter drop,” replied Griffin.  “It will be the district attorney’s decision that will govern the matter.”

“Then what are you doing fooling around here, governor?” screamed Bert hoarsely.  “Don’t you see that it’s your job to hurry to the district attorney as fast as you can go?  Use your money, your political influence—–­”

In his extreme terror young Dodge seemed to forget that he was providing amusement for his enemies.

But Mr. Dodge cut in quickly.  Advancing a step or two, he brought his uplifted stick down sharply, once, across his son’s shoulders.

With a snarl Bert wheeled, crouching as though to spring upon his father.

Prescott and Holmes jumped up, prepared to step in.  But the banker was not cowed by the evil look in his son’s face.

“Begone, you young villain!” quivered the old man.  “Get out of my sight.  Never let me see you again.  Don’t dare to go to what was once your home, or I’ll have you thrown out.  I disown you!  You are no blood of mine!”

“I guess you forget,” sneered Bert cunningly that you are responsible for me, and that you will have to pay my bills.”