ly.
"Somehow I don't feel safe as long as that boy is within possible
hearing."

"Don't get afraid," replied Parsons. "Tommy Macklin has probably done
him up, or you would hear something from him."

"Macklin tried to remove him once before," returned Allen, with a shake
of his head. "That boy beats all for shrewdness."

"I would like to settle him myself," growled Hardwick. "We would never
have had the least bit of trouble if it hadn't been for him. Like as not
I would still have been Sumner's head and confidential clerk," he added,
with a sarcastic laugh.

"Yes, and I could have made life bitterness itself for Horace Sumner,"
cried Allen. "I wanted to do more than ruin him."

"What makes you so bitter against Sumner?" asked Parsons.

"That's my affair," replied Allen, shortly.

"It's because Sumner married the girl Allen wanted," put in Samuels.
"Allen was clean gone on her, and when she married Sumner it broke him
all up."

"Shut up, Samuels!" exclaimed Allen, evidently angry at having the
matter mentioned. "There are but few know of it, and I don't want it to
reach Horace Sumner's ears, or----"

"It won't reach him through me, Allen, and he will never suspect that
you had anything to do with his son's----"

"Will you shut up!" roared Allen, turning white with rage. "One would
think, by the way your tongue rattles, that you had been drinking."

"Only had a couple of glasses," returned Samuels, coolly. "So don't get
worked up, Allen."

Hal listened to this conversation with deep interest. It revealed why
Allen was so bitter against Horace Sumner, and so willing to cheat his
partner.

"But I don't understand about that child business yet," muttered Hal to
himself.

While the others were talking Hardwick had been examining the closets,
and he now came to the one in which the others had placed Hal.

"Hullo! here he is!" he shouted. "Well, how do you feel, you beggar?"
the last to the boy.

"Not very well," replied Hal coolly. His hands were now loose, but he
kept them behind him.

"You'll feel a sight worse before we are done with you," returned
Hardwick, grimly.

"What do you intend to do with me?"

"You'll see soon enough," said the ex-book-keeper.

He turned to the others, and as he did so Hal bent down and freed his
feet.

"By Jove! he's loose!" cried Parsons, glancing around.

"Yes, and I intend to stay so," cried Hal, stepping into the room.
"Hardwick, I want that tin box."

"Ho! ho!