d the subordinate.

"A gentleman recommended me," Frank answered.

"I had already mentioned my nephew to him. I am surprised he said
nothing to me about engaging a boy."

Frank said nothing, feeling no particular interest in the matter. As he
was only filling temporarily the position of errand boy, it made little
difference to him whether he was acceptable to Mr. Haynes or not.

In the course of the day Mr. Hartley handed Frank a card, containing the
street and number of his residence, with a pencilled invitation to call
that evening.

Of course Frank did so.

Seated alone with the merchant in his back parlor, the latter said, "I
have invited you here because I could not speak with you freely at the
store. How do you like Mr. Haynes?"

Frank was surprised at the abruptness of the question.

"I don't like him," he answered, candidly.

"Why not?"

"There is no good reason that I know of," said Frank; "but I think his
manner is disagreeable."

"Our instincts are often to be trusted," said the merchant,
thoughtfully. "I confess that I myself don't like Haynes, nor do I feel
implicit confidence in him, though he has been eight years in the
service of our house. He is outwardly very circumspect, and apparently
very faithful, but there is something in his eye which I don't like."

Frank had noticed this, but Mr. Hartley's remark called fresh attention
to its furtive, crafty expression.

Frank's curiosity was aroused, naturally enough. He wondered what Mr.
Haynes had to do with his mission. He did not have long to wait for
information.

"I will come to the point," said Mr. Hartley, after a pause. "I am an
importing merchant, and deal, among other articles, in silks. During the
last year I have discovered that some one is systematically robbing me,
and that parts of my stock have been spirited away. The loss I have
sustained is already considerable, and unless the leakage is put a stop
to, I may as well give up business. You can now guess why I have engaged
you. No one will suspect an errand boy of being a detective, while a man
would very probably excite distrust, and put the rogue on his guard."

Frank listened attentively to his employer.

"Do you suspect any one in particular, Mr. Hartley?" he asked.

"It must be some one in my employ," he said. "The man who, more than any
other, has facilities for robbing me is the man of whom I have spoken to
you."

"Mr. Haynes?"

"Yes, Mr. Haynes. He holds an impo