always. I think association with you would keep any man in the straight
road. I _know_ that your love would do so."

"I am very, very glad," the girl answered with misty eyes, "but I must
help in practical ways, too--in all ways. So I must do my best to
understand all the things that you have to manage."

"God bless you!"

That was all he said. It seemed to him quite all there was to say. But
early the next morning he sent a courteous note to Tandy, calling his
attention to the "irregularity" of his relations with the bank, and
asking him to call at once to set the matter right.

After he had sent off the note he continued his examination of the
details of the bank's affairs. He had gone over the books very
carefully. He had examined the notes held for collection and the like.
It remained only for him to make a personal inspection of the cash and
securities held by the bank, and that was his task this morning.

He had not gone far with it when he came upon a small three-cornered
slip of paper, with a memorandum penciled upon it. It lay in the midst
of a bundle of greenbacks.

Looking at it carefully, Duncan turned sharply upon the teller who had
charge of the currency, and demanded:

"What does this mean? Why did you not bring that to my attention
sooner?"

Before the teller could reply with an excuse or explanation, Tandy was
announced as waiting in the bank parlor to see Mr. Duncan.

Duncan slipped the scrap of paper into his vest pocket, saying to the
teller:

"Make a memorandum that I have possession of this."

Then he walked into the parlor.

There he received Tandy with cold dignity and marked reserve--more of
coldness, more of dignity, and far more of reserve than he would have
thought necessary if he had not found that scrap of paper.

Before seating himself, he called in one of the bookkeepers, saying:

"Mr. Leftwich, I desire you to remain with Mr. Tandy and me, during the
whole of our interview."

"Surely that is unnecessary, Duncan," said Tandy hastily. "I don't care
to discuss my private affairs in the presence of a clerk."

"I have no intention to discuss your private affairs at all, Mr. Tandy,"
Duncan replied. "The matter concerning which I have asked you to call
here, is not a private affair of yours or mine. It is a matter connected
with the administration of the bank. Be seated, Mr. Leftwich."

"But I insist," said Tandy, with a good deal more of heat than he was
accustomed to perm