quarters where it was
not--ah--needed, when there was such a pressing demand, as one might
say, at home."

CHAPTER XIII

The earnest young man behind the counter in the office of Cabot,
Bancroft and Cabot--the young man who had so definitely classified
Galusha Bangs as a "nut"--was extremely surprised when that individual
reappeared before his window and, producing the very check which he had
obtained there so short a time before, politely requested to exchange
it for eighty-two hundred dollars in cash and another check for the
balance.

"Why--why--but--!" exclaimed the young man.

"Thank you. Yes, if--ah--if you will be so good," said Galusha.

The young man himself asked questions, and then called Mr. Minor into
consultation, and Mr. Minor asked more. The answers they received were
not illuminating, but in the end the transaction was made as requested.

"But, Bangs," said Minor, laughing, "what I can't understand is why you
want to bother with the check for eleven hundred and odd--whatever it
is. Why not take the whole amount in cash and be done with it?"

Galusha shook his head. "I prefer it the--ah--other way. If you don't
mind," he added, politely.

"Oh, we don't mind. But--well, it seems rather funny, that's all. Ha,
ha!"

"Does it? Yes, I--ah--dare say it does."

"Ha, ha! Yes, rather. Of course, it is your business, you know, but--"

He laughed again. The harassed Galusha waited until the laugh was over.
Then he said, gently, "Yes, I was under that impression."

"Eh? What impression?"

"That it was, as you say, my--ah--business."

"Yes. Why... Eh? Oh!... Humph!... Why, yes, surely, certainly. Here,"
turning briskly to the clerk, "give Mr. Bangs what he wishes at once."

He walked away, pulling thoughtfully at his mustache. Galusha, rubbing
his chin, looked gravely after him. The clerk began making out the
check. This done and the check entrusted to a messenger to be taken to
the private office for signing, the next business was the counting of
the money.

"Eighty-two hundred, you said?" asked the clerk.

"Eighty-two hundred--ah--yes," said Galusha.

Eight thousand was, of course, the price at par of Jethro Hallett's
four hundred shares of Wellmouth Development stock. The additional two
hundred was a premium paid, so to speak, to the departed spirit of the
late Mrs. Jethro Hallett. She, by or through the Chinese control of Miss
Marietta Hoag, had notified her husband that he was destin