ng. So far
from sleeping, the captain was just beginning to wake up.

"Why haven't you written?" That meant that John had never received the
letter which Gertrude wrote, the letter which she had given him--her
father--to post. Why had it not been received? It had been posted. He
gave it to the carrier with his own hands.

Before the captain's closed eyes that scene in the library passed in
review. He was at his desk, Gertrude entered and handed him the letter.
He commented upon its address and placed it with the others, the
envelopes containing bills and checks, upon the table. Then the postman
came and--

No--wait. The postman had not come immediately. Serena had called and
he, Daniel, had gone up to her room in answer to the call. But he had
come down when the postman rang and.... Wait again! There had been
someone in the library when he was called away. He dimly remembered....
What? ... Why, yes! Cousin Percy had come in and--

Daniel leaped to his feet. His chair slid back on its castors and struck
the safe behind him. Mr. Bangs looked up.

"Why, what's the matter?" he cried, in alarm. "Is--Where are you going?"

Captain Dan did not answer. He was running, actually running, toward
the door. Bareheaded he dashed across the yard. His foot was on the
threshold of the back porch of the house, when he stopped short. For a
moment he stood still; then he turned and ran back to the store again.

Nathaniel, who had followed him to the side entrance of The
Metropolitan, met him there.

"For mercy sakes, Cap'n Dott!" he began. "What IS it?"

Daniel did not answer. He pushed past his perturbed manager and, rushing
to the closet in which the telephone instrument hung, closed the door
behind him. He jerked the receiver from the hook, placed it at his ear,
and shouted into the transmitter.

"Hello! Hello there, Central!" he bellowed. "I want a long distance
call. I want to talk to Saunders, Griffin and Company, Pearl Street,
Boston.... Hey? ... Yes, I want to talk to Mr. Doane.... NO, not Cone!
Doane--Doane--Mr. John Doane.... Hey? ... You'll call me? ... All right,
then; be as quick as you can, that's all."

He hung up the receiver and, flinging the door open, dashed out into the
store again, and began pacing up and down.

Nathaniel ventured one more question.

"Of course it ain't any of my business, Cap'n Dott," he stammered,
"but--"

Daniel waved his hand.

"Sshh! shh!" he commanded. "It's all right. I'll tel