FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84  
85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   >>   >|  
eton has charge of the finances. When credits have been given, they have been on time notes, which are paid as they mature," I answered. "We had thirty thousand surplus capital on the first of January." "Mr. Whippleton has laid in a large stock of lumber." "And now wishes to increase it, after the best business of the year is over. I don't understand it." "Nor I, sir." "You don't?" "No, sir; and since you have spoken to me about the matter, I wish to add that I think something is wrong." "What do you mean, Mr. Philips?" "I suppose I ought not to meddle with what does not concern me." "Does not concern you! Are you not employed by the firm?" "Yes, sir; but what the members of the firm do with their capital does not concern me." "You said you thought something was wrong, Mr. Philips. What do you mean by that?" "I made out a trial balance for the business of the last six months. Mr. Whippleton destroyed it." I felt that I was doing my duty, and as briefly as I could, I told the whole story about the invoices. I saw that the senior partner was startled. And he understood where his balance was. "Why didn't you speak to me of this before, Mr. Philips?" "I have always talked with Mr. Whippleton about the books and the business. I did not feel at liberty to speak to you about it." "You ought to have done so." "Perhaps I ought, sir; but it was a very delicate matter, and Mr. Whippleton says now that it is all right. Perhaps it is, sir; I don't know. I only say I don't understand it." "Neither do I. Something shall be done at once. Where are those invoices which you think are fictitious ones?" "On file, sir." "Send them to me at once. Stop. I will go to the counting-room myself," he continued, beginning to be excited, as he rose from his easy-chair. "They have never been entered in the lumber book, sir." "What's the lumber book?" I explained what it was. "Send Mr. Faxon to me. Send the invoices by him," continued the senior. "Perhaps I can look into the matter better here than at the counting-room." I wondered that he even knew who Mr. Faxon was. A man who had so little knowledge of his own business as Mr. Collingsby almost deserved to be cheated out of his property. "What shall I say to Mr. Whippleton, sir?" I asked. "Tell him we will not increase our stock at any rate," he replied, decidedly. "Do you think Mr. Whippleton has been using the firm's money for his own
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84  
85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Whippleton

 

business

 

Perhaps

 
concern
 

matter

 
invoices
 

Philips

 
lumber
 

balance

 

continued


senior

 

counting

 

capital

 

understand

 
increase
 
replied
 
fictitious
 

decidedly

 

Neither

 

Something


deserved
 

explained

 

cheated

 
delicate
 

property

 

Collingsby

 

knowledge

 

beginning

 
excited
 
entered

wondered
 

wishes

 
meddle
 

suppose

 
spoken
 

January

 

credits

 

finances

 

charge

 

thousand


surplus

 

thirty

 

mature

 

answered

 

employed

 

understood

 

startled

 
partner
 

liberty

 

talked