ned out of the counting-
house.

Suppose one of the partners had been there all the while, and heard all
we had said.

Jack stopped dead in his talk, and with pale face looked inquiringly at
me.

"I thought I heard a noise in there," said I, pointing to the door.

"What?" said Jack, with a gasp. The same thought was evidently crossing
his mind which had crossed mine.

"It can't be either of the partners," whispered he, "at this hour."

"We'd better see," said I; "it may be a thief."

We went quietly to the door. All was silent as we listened; and yet I
felt I could not have been mistaken about the noise. The door was
closed to, but not fastened. Jack opened it softly.

There, sitting at the partners' table, with his head on his hands,
apparently absorbed in work, and unconscious of everything else, sat--
Hawkesbury!

A spectre could not have startled and horrified us more!

At first he did not seem to be aware of our presence, and it was not
till Jack advanced a step, and involuntarily exclaimed "Hawkesbury!"
that he looked up in a flurried way.

"Why, Smith!" he exclaimed, "and Batchelor! What a start you gave me!
What are you doing here at this hour, and in this room?"

"We've been here a quarter of an hour," said Jack, solemnly.

"Have you? How quiet you've been!"

This, at any rate, was a relief. He could hardly have heard our
conversation.

"But what are you doing in here?" he added, in an important voice. "You
must know this room is private, and not for the clerks."

"We heard a noise," said I, "and did not know who was here."

Hawkesbury smiled incredulously.

"All I can say is," said he, "I hope you are not in the habit of coming
in here when you are by yourselves in the office. But kindly leave me
now--I am busy."

He had a lot of papers spread out on the table before him, which he was
gathering together in his hand while he spoke. Whether they were
accounts, or letters, or what, we could not tell; but as there was
nothing more to be said we withdrew to the counting-house. He followed
us out in about five minutes, carrying the papers to his desk. Then,
informing the housekeeper in an audible voice that he would just go and
get breakfast, he left us to ourselves.

"What a mercy," said I, "he doesn't seem to have heard what we were
talking about!"

Jack smiled bitterly.

"Unless I'm mistaken, he's heard every word!"

"Surely, Jack," I exclaimed, stunned by the very idea,