"Ethel, I saw, was excited. Therefore I made no more point of her theories concerning the appearance and family circle of old Mrs. Beverly. But in justice to myself I felt obliged to remind her, first, that I was investing, not speculating, and second, that it was Mr. Beverly's advice I was following, and not that of his mother. 'Had he not spoken of her,' I said, 'I should have remained unaware of her existence.'"
"'She is at the bottom of it all the same,' said Ethel . ' Everything you have bought has been because she bought it.'"
"'That is not quite the right way to put it,' I replied . ' I was willing to buy these securities because Mr. Beverly thought so highly of them that he felt justified in--'"
"'There is no use,' interrupted Ethel, 'in our going round this circle as if we were
