l himself. Trouble was very close at hand, that was certain. How
could he get out of it? Pacing the floor, he bit his lips till the blood
came.

There was a sharp ring at the front door. Underwood opened it. As he
recognized his visitor on the threshold, he exclaimed:

"Why, Bennington, this is a surprise!"

The manager entered awkwardly. He had the constrained air of a man who
has come on an unpleasant errand, but wants to be as amiable as the
circumstances will permit.

"You didn't expect me, did you?" he began.

Shutting the front door, Underwood led the way back into the sitting
room, and making an effort to control his nerves, said:

"Sit down, won't you?"

But Mr. Bennington merely bowed stiffly. It was evident that he did not
wish his call to be mistaken for a social visit.

"I haven't time, thank you. To be frank, my mission is rather a delicate
one, Mr. Underwood."

Underwood laughed nervously. Affecting to misinterpret the other's
meaning, he said:

"Yes, you're right. The art and antique business is a delicate business.
God knows it's a precarious one!" Reaching for the decanter, he added:
"Have a drink."

But Mr. Bennington refused to unbend. The proffer of refreshment did
not tempt him to swerve from the object of his mission. While Underwood
was talking, trying to gain time, his eyes were taking in the contents
of the apartment.

"Come, take a drink," urged Underwood again.

"No, thanks," replied Mr. Bennington curtly.

Suddenly he turned square around.

"Let's get down to business, Mr. Underwood," he exclaimed. "My firm
insists on the immediate return of their property." Pointing around the
room, he added: "Everything, do you understand?"

Underwood was standing in the shadow of the lamp so his visitor did not
notice that he had grown suddenly very white, and that his mouth
twitched painfully.

"Why, what's the trouble?" he stammered. "Haven't you done a lot of
business through me? Haven't I got prices for your people that they
would never have gotten?"

"Yes--we know all that," replied Mr. Bennington impatiently. "To be
frank, Mr. Underwood, we've received information that you've sold many
of the valuable articles entrusted to you for which you've made no
accounting at all."

"That's not true," exclaimed Underwood hotly. "I have accounted for
almost everything. The rest of the things are here. Of course, there may
be a few things----"

Taking a box of cigars from the desk, he