“I am at a loss,” said the old man, dryly, “to understand where the assumption comes in, in view of the fact that I have stated, more than once—­”

“I am forced to tell you that I cannot accept these statements.”

For a moment the brilliant eyes looked dangerous.  “Are you aware that your language is exceedingly offensive?”

“Yes.  I’m very sorry.  Nevertheless, this tooth must come out.  It has suddenly become apparent to me that you must be spending here the income on hardly less than seventy-five thousand dollars.  Do you seriously ask me to believe, now that I directly bring up the matter, that you amassed this by a few years of school-teaching?”

Surface lit a cigarette, and, taking a slow puff, looked unwinkingly into the young man’s eyes, which looked as steadily back into his own.  “You are mistaken in assuming,” he said sternly, “that, in giving you my affection, I have given you any right to cross-examine me in—­”

“Yes, you gave it to me when you invited me to your house as, in part, your guest—­”

“I am behind the times, indeed, if it is esteemed the privilege of a guest to spy upon his host.”

“That,” said Queed, quietly, “is altogether unjust.  You must know that I am not capable of spying on you.  I have, on the contrary, been culpably short-sighted.  Never once have I doubted anything you told me until you yourself insisted on rubbing doubts repeatedly into my eyes.  Professor,” he went on rapidly, “are you aware that those familiar with your story say that, when you—­that, after your misfortune, you started life again with a bank account of between one and two hundred thousand dollars?”

The black eyes lit up like two shoe-buttons in the sunlight.  “That is a wicked falsehood, invented at the time by a lying reporter—­”

“Do you assert that everything you have now has been earned since your misfortune?”

“Precisely that.”

The voice was indignantly firm, but Queed, looking into the old man’s face, read there as plain as day that he was lying.

“Think a moment,” he said sorrowfully.  “This is pretty serious, you see.  Are you absolutely sure that you carried over nothing at all?”

“In the sight of God, I did not.  But let me tell you, my friend—­”

A chair-leg scraped on the carpeted floor, and Queed was standing, playing his trump card with a grim face.

“We must say good-by, Professor—­now.  I’ll send for my things in the morning.”

“What do you mean, you—­”

“That you and I part company to-night.  Good-by.”

“Stop!” cried Surface.  He rose, greatly excited and leaned over the table.  A faint flush drove the yellow from his cheek; his eyes were blazing.  He shook a menacing finger at close range in Queed’s face, which remained entirely unmoved by the demonstration.

“So this is the reward of my kindness and affection!  I won’t endure it, do you understand?  I won’t be kicked into the gutter like an old shoe, do you hear?  Sit down in that chair.  I forbid you to leave the house.”