of the roadway. In his early morning
mood the thing was impossible. In a moment or two he paid his driver
and dismissed him.

He fancied that a certain relief was visible among his clerks when
he opened the door at precisely his usual time and with a cheerful
"Good-morning!" made his way into the private office. He lit his
customary cigarette and dealt rapidly with the correspondence which
was brought in to him by his head-clerk. Afterwards, as soon as he
was alone, he opened the safe, thrust the contents of that inner
drawer into his breast-pocket, and took up once more his hat and
gloves.

"I am going around to the bank," he told his clerk as he passed out.
"I shall be back in half-an-hour--perhaps less."

"Very good, sir," the man answered. "Will Mr. Morrison be here this
morning?"

Laverick hesitated.

"No, Mr. Morrison will not be here to-day."

It was only a few steps to his bankers, and his request for an
interview with the manager was immediately granted. The latter
received him kindly but with a certain restraint. There are not
many secrets in the city, and Morrison's big plunge on a particular
mining share, notwithstanding its steady drop, had been freely
commented upon.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Laverick?" the banker asked.

"I am not sure," answered Laverick. "To tell you the truth, I am
in a somewhat singular position."

The banker nodded. He had not a doubt but that he understood
exactly what that position was.

"You have perhaps heard," Laverick continued slowly, "that my late
partner, Mr. Morrison,--"

"Late partner?" the manager interrupted.

Laverick assented.

"We had a few words last night," he explained "and Mr. Morrison
left the office with an understanding between us that he should not
return. You will receive a formal intimation of that during the
course of the next day or so. We will revert to the matter
presently, if you wish. My immediate business with you is to
discuss the fact that I have to provide something like twenty
thousand pounds to-day if I decide to take up the purchases of stock
which Morrison has made."

"You understand the position, of course, Mr. Laverick, if you fail
to do so?" the manager remarked gravely.

"Naturally," Laverick answered. "I am quite aware of the fact that
Morrison acted on behalf of the firm and that I am responsible for
his transactions. He has plunged pretty deeply, though, a great
deal more deeply than our capital w