got the money by me, and
it's the former owner's business, not mine, but if you'll call round,
say the day after to-morrow, I'll see what we can do."

He named the day, knowing that he would be absent then, and the
stranger, heaving his heavy limbs out of an easy chair, helped himself
to a handful of choice cigars before he prepared to depart, saying
dubiously:

"I'll be back on Wednesday bright and early, bringing several friends
as will see fair play with me. One of them will be a lawyer, and if
he's no good either, look out, mister, for I'll find another way of
settling thee!"

There are in Canada, as well as other British Colonies, capitalists,
dealing in lands and financing mines, whose efforts make for the
progress of civilization and the good of the community. There are also
others, described by their victims as a curse to any country.
Representatives of both descriptions were interested in the Industrial
Enterprise. Therefore, the unfortunate secretary groaned when one of
the latter class, who passed his visitor in the doorway, came in
smiling in a curious manner. Leslie, who hoped he had not heard much,
was rudely undeceived.

"I'm hardly surprised at certain words I heard in the corridor," he
commenced. "Your English friend was telling an interesting tale about
you to all the loungers in the Rideau bar to-day. They seemed to
believe him--he told it very creditably. When are you going to stop
it, Leslie?"

"When I can pay him the equivalent of five hundred sterling in
blackmail. I am afraid it will be a long time," answered the
secretary, ruefully.

"Then I would advise you to beg, borrow or steal the money. A man of
your abilities and practical experience oughtn't to find much
difficulty in this part of the world," said the newcomer. "The tale
may have been a fabrication, but it sounded true, and while I don't set
up as a reformer I am a director of this Company, and can't have those
rumors set going about its secretary. No, I don't want to hear your
side of the case--it's probably highly creditable to you--but I know
all about the kind of business you were running, and a good many other
folks in this province do, too."

"Who, in the name of perdition, would lend me the money? And it takes
every cent I've got to live up to my post. You don't pay too
liberally," sneered the unfortunate man, stung into brief fury by the
reference to his character.

"I will," was the answer. "That is to