With no good grace the man arose clumsily from his chair, and with leers at Ruth and Alice, who were clinging to each other on the far side of the room, the visitor started for the door.
"I'll see you again!" he called, coarsely. "Then maybe the laugh will be on my side. I'm going to have my money, I tell you!"
Russ kept after the man, and walked behind him to the door. There Dan Merley paused to exclaim, in loud tones:
"You wait—I'll get my money out of DeVere—you'll see!"
Then he stumbled on down the hallway, and Russ quickly closed and locked the door.
"Oh, Russ!" exclaimed Ruth. Then she sank into a chair, and bent forward with her head pillowed in her arms on the table.
"There, there," said the young man gently, as he put his hand on her head. "It's all right—he's gone. Don't be afraid."
"Oh, but what a dreadful man!" cried Alice. "I could——"
"Don't, dear," begged her sister gently, as she raised her head. There were tears in her eyes. Russ gently slipped his hand over her little rosy palm.