at is four times what you put in," said Mr. Denton, quickly, "and
as you have already been paid a large interest on your investment, your
price is exorbitant; are you too angry to see it?"

"I should have gotten that out of it before the expiration of the
partnership. It is that figure or nothing," said Mr. Day, doggedly,
"and, mind, I will fight against dissolution, tooth and nail, Mr.
Denton. I would be as mad as you are if I did not do so!"

"Then I will pay you that amount at once, Mr. Day," said the gentleman.
"I will give you a check on my personal bank account and acquire your
interest as a private investment. Your price is too exorbitant to permit
my purchasing it for the firm, but we will attend to the details when
Mr. Forbes is present."

CHAPTER XXVI.

SOME STARTLING CHANGES.

As the days went by the employees of the big department store became
gradually aware that something had happened. The first intimation came
from the daily papers, in which was given a more or less truthful
account of Mr. Day's withdrawal from the firm on the grounds that he
disapproved of his senior partner's new business methods.

What these methods were it remained to be seen. The clerks were hopeful
of some reforms, but for a while they only wondered and waited.

Miss Fairbanks stopped at Faith's counter early one morning, when the
store was comparatively empty, and began talking to her in an unusually
affable manner.

"There's something going to happen here soon," she said, confidently.
"And, in my opinion, it's going to be pretty serious. Either Mr. Denton
has got religion, or else he's gone crazy, for he's giving us buyers a
lot of orders nowadays that will mean the failure of the firm if we are
obliged to obey them."

"Why, what are they, Miss Fairbanks?" Faith asked in surprise. Miss
Jones came up also and listened for the answer.

"Well, in the first place, we are not to beat down the drummers any
more, but are to offer them fair prices on all our orders. Then we are
to learn, if possible, who makes the goods that we buy, for Mr. Denton
says he does not want to make a profit out of some poor woman's work
while she is going half clothed and perhaps sick and starving."

"Why, the man is stark mad," said Miss Jones, in amazement. "As if it
was any concern of his what other people work for!"

"I think he is quite right," remarked Faith, very soberly. "I can
understand how he feels, and I think he is very brave