ishes to see him on most
important business?"

There was much distress in her tone, but withal such firmness that the
clerk could not help looking at her with admiration.

"I would gladly take your message, Miss Staunton, but it would be
useless. I know beforehand that nothing will induce Mr. Gering to see
you."

"He must see me," replied Effie in a firm voice. "If no one here will be
polite enough to take him my message, I will go to him myself."

Before one of the clerks could prevent her, Effie walked across the
large room, opened the door where the clerk who took Mr. Gering his
letters had vanished, and found herself the next moment in a handsomely
furnished room, where a portly old gentleman was seated at a desk.

He looked up in unfeigned astonishment when he saw a pretty girl
standing near the door.

As she did not speak for an instant, he raised his voice with an
inquiry.

"May I ask what you are doing here?" he said.

"I have come to speak to you about my brother," said Effie.

"Your brother! What do you mean? Who is your brother?"

"George Staunton."

"Then, Miss Staunton, let me tell you that you have taken a great
liberty in coming to see me. You have forced your way into my room
unannounced. I must ask you to have the goodness to retire as quickly as
you came. If you do not leave my room this moment, I shall be forced to
compel you to go."

"No, you will not," said Effie--"no, that is not like you. You would not
willingly be unkind to a suffering and innocent girl, when she forces
herself, against her true inclinations, against her real modesty, to
seek an interview with you. I come in great sorrow and despair, and you
are not the man who will treat me roughly--I don't fear it. You like to
say harsh words, but your heart is not harsh. I beg of you, therefore,
to listen to my story. I will not keep you long."

"You are a very queer, courageous sort of girl," said Gering, after a
pause. "As you have come, I suppose I may as well listen to you; but
please understand at once that I have no mercy for your brother; that
his career here is ended."

"That is only just and right. I have not come to plead with you to take
George back--I know that that would be asking too much. What I have come
to say I can say in a very few words."

"They must be very few if you expect me to leave my business to attend
to them."

Effie came close to where Mr. Gering was seated; he did not rise, nor
motion her to