ggest that it would be pleasanter, far pleasanter, to record that
this day of all days in Simon Varr's life was peaceful and calm, but
the truth is exactly the reverse. It was destined to be a day of
bitterness and strife, terminating in actual violence.

The trouble began with Jason Bolt.

Lucy Varr did not descend for breakfast, nor did Ocky, who elected to
depart from custom and have a tray brought up by Janet to her bedroom
balcony. Simon ate his usual hearty meal with more deliberation than
appetite, and had barely returned to his desk when he heard the squeal
of brakes that distinguished Jason's car from its numerous fellows.

He came straight back to the study and threw himself into a chair, his
round, good-humored face unwontedly grave.

"Well, Simon, here's a pretty kettle of fish!"

"There are several kettles of fish. Which do you mean?"

"Well--Billy Graham's, to commence with. He was around to see me an
hour ago--"

"Was he sober?"

"Of course he was, don't be too unjust, Simon! Graham doesn't make a
practice of drinking, and if he took one or two too many last evening,
as he admits he did, I for one don't blame him. That confounded pup
Langhorn told him what he overheard--"

"I know--I know all that. I have fired Langhorn and I have fired
Graham." Simon's jaw tilted truculently. "What about it?"

"That's what I've come to ask. What about it? If you keep on at this
rate, another week will see you down to bed-rock--reduced to one
partner and one idle tannery. And some one seems determined to burn
that up piecemeal!"

"I didn't see you there last night."

"No, thank goodness, I was in blissful ignorance of our latest trouble.
We have guests, you know. Mary and I took the Krechs to Barney's road
house just to give them a taste of night-life in Hambleton. Mr. Krech
and Barney spent the evening extemporizing cocktails--"

"I'm not interested in your orgies. What did Graham have to say this
morning?"

"Nothing that wasn't mighty decent, all things considered. He is sorry
to go after all these years, but he doesn't question your right to fire
him. He prefers to discuss the details attendant on his quitting with
me--you have no objection?--and he is writing to Rochester to tell the
Thibault crowd he accepts their offer."

"That doesn't break my heart. The sooner he gets to Rochester the
better pleased I'll be."

"Oh, yes--because of Copley, I suppose, and the girl. Well--I gues