"My information is quite positive," continued
Montague. "It has been determined to wreck
your institution ! "

Ryder caught at a chair to support himself.
" Who ? Who ? " he stammered.
"It is Duval and Waterman," said Mon-
tague.
"Dan Waterman !" It was Lucy who spoke.
Montague turned to look at her, and saw her
eyes, wide open with terror.
"Yes, Lucy," he said.
"Oh, oh!" she gasped, choking; then sud-
denly she cried wildly, "Tell me! I don't
understand — what does it mean?"



THE MONEYCHANGERS 275

"It means that I am ruined/' exclaimed
Ryder.
"Ruined?" she echoed.
"Absolutely!'' he said. "They've got me!
I knew they were after me, but I didn't think
they'd dare!"

He ended with a furious imprecation; but
Montague had kept his eyes fixed upon Lucy.
It was her suffering that he cared about.
He heard her whisper, under her breath,
"It's for me !" And then again, "It's for me !"

" Lucy," he began ; but suddenly she put up
her hand, and rushed toward him.
"Hush! he doesn't know!" she panted
breathlessly. "I haven't told him."

And then she turned toward Ryder again.
"Oh, surely there must be some way," she cried,
wildly. "Surely—"

Ryder had sunk down in a chair and buried
his face in his hands. " Ruined ! " he exclaimed.
"Utterly ruined! I won't have a dollar left
in the world."

"No, no," cried Lucy, "it cannot be!" And
she put her hands to her forehead, striving to
think. "It must be stopped. I'll go and see
him. I'll plead with him."

"You must not, Lucy!" cried Montague,
starting toward her.
But again she whirled upon him, "Not a



276 THE MONEYCHANGERS

word!" she whispered, with fierce intensity.
