Still, the name of his daughter being involved, he took the matter up with Cecily, who under pressure confessed.

She made the usual plea that she was of age, and that she wished to live her own life--logic which she had gathered largely from Cowperwood's attitude.

Haguenin did nothing about it at first, thinking to send Cecily off to an aunt in Nebraska; but, finding her intractable, and fearing some counter-advice or reprisal on the part of Cowperwood, who, by the way, had indorsed paper to the extent of one hundred thousand dollars for him, he decided to discuss matters first.

It meant a cessation of relations and some inconvenient financial readjustments; but it had to be.

He was just on the point of calling on Cowperwood when the latter, unaware as yet of the latest development in regard to Cecily, and having some variation of his council programme to discuss with Haguenin, asked him over the 'phone to lunch.