Out of the Ashes

An art collector's private library on Fifth Avenue becomes the setting for an unexpected bargain. Marcus Gard expects Mrs. Martin Marteen to discuss a coveted painting, but she brings photographs of his own business letters. Their contents could damage his plans for Texas properties and expose his company's methods. She asks for fifty thousand dollars to meet the expenses of her daughter Dorothy's social debut, turning an elegant visit into a contest over money, information and control.

Ethel Watts Mumford Grant's novel moves between the polished manners of wealthy New York society and the anxiety beneath them. In a later passage, Gard directs a confidential search for Mrs. Marteen, placing a detective, a doctor and his secretary under urgent instructions while trying to prevent publicity. The appeal lies in sharp bargaining scenes and the shifting weight of private secrets, where financial power offers little protection from fear for another person.