nace.

"Is anything the matter with you, Mr. Gibbon? Are you as well as usual?"
asked Mr. Jennings one morning. The little man was always considerate,
and he had noticed the flurried and nervous manner of his bookkeeper.

"No, sir; what makes you ask?" said Gibbon, apologetically.

"Perhaps you need a vacation," suggested Mr. Jennings.

"Oh, no, I think not. Besides, I couldn't be spared."

"I would keep the books myself for a week to favor you."

"You are very kind, but I won't trouble you just yet. A little later on,
if I feel more uncomfortable, I will avail myself of your kindness."

"Do so. I know that bookkeeping is a strain upon the mind, more so than
physical labor."

There were special reasons why Mr. Gibbon did not dare to accept the
vacation tendered him by his employer. He knew that Phil Stark would be
furious, for it would interfere with his designs. He could not afford
to offend this man, who held in his possession a secret affecting his
reputation and good name.

The presence of a stranger in a small town always attracts public
attention, and many were curious about the rakish-looking man who had
now for some time occupied a room at the hotel.

Among others, Carl had several times seen him walking with Leonard Craig

"Leonard," he asked one day, "who is the gentleman I see you so often
walking with?"

"It's a man that's boarding at the hotel. I play billiards with him
sometimes."

"He seems to like Milford."

"I don't know. He's over at our house every evening."

"Is he?" asked Carl, surprised.

"Yes; he's an old acquaintance of Uncle Julius. I don't know where they
met each other, for he won't tell. He said he and uncle might go into
business together some time. Between you and me, I think uncle would
like to get rid of him. I know he doesn't like him."

This set Carl to thinking, but something occurred soon afterwards that
impressed him still more.

Occasionally a customer of the house visited Milford, wishing to give a
special order for some particular line of goods. About this time a Mr.
Thorndike, from Chicago, came to Milford on this errand, and put up at
the hotel. He had called at the factory during the day, and had some
conversation with Mr. Jennings. After supper a doubt entered the mind of
the manufacturer in regard to one point, and he said to Carl: "Carl, are
you engaged this evening?"

"No, sir."

"Will you carry a note for me to the hotel?"

"Certainly, sir; I sha