ave collected the young lady's belongings, so far as possible,
sir," he remarked. "If there is anything else belonging to her, she
may be able to get it later on."

"Do you mean to say that she can't go back to her own rooms?" Arnold
demanded.

"I am sorry, sir," the man replied, "but I am here to see that no
one enters them under any pretext."

Arnold looked at him blankly.

"But what is the young lady to do?" he protested. "She has no other
home."

The policeman remained unmoved.

"Sorry, sir," he said, "but her friends will have to find her one
for the time being. She certainly can't come in here."

Arnold felt a sudden weight upon his arm. Ruth had been standing by
his side and had heard everything. He led her gently back. She was
trembling violently.

"Don't worry about me, Arnold," she begged. "You go away. By the
time you come back, I--I shall have found a home somewhere."

He passed his arm around her. A wild flash in her eyes had suddenly
revealed her thought.

"Unless you promise me," he said firmly, "that I shall find you on
that couch when I return this evening, I shall not leave this room."

"But, Arnold,--"

"The business of Samuel Weatherley & Company," he interrupted,
glancing at the clock, "will be entirely disorganized unless you
promise."

"I promise," she murmured faintly.

CHAPTER XXV

MR. WEATHERLEY'S DISAPPEARANCE

Arnold arrived at Tooley Street only a few minutes after his usual
time. He made his way at once into the private office and commenced
his work. At ten o'clock Mr. Jarvis came in. The pile of letters
upon Mr. Weatherley's desk was as yet untouched.

"Any idea where the governor is?" the cashier asked. "He's nearly
half an hour late."

Arnold glanced at the clock.

"Mr. Weatherley is spending the week-end down the river," he said.
"I dare say the trains up are a little awkward."

Mr. Jarvis looked at him curiously.

"How do you happen to know that?"

"I was there yesterday for a short time," Arnold told him.

Mr. Jarvis whistled softly.

"Seems to me you're getting pretty chummy with the governor," he
remarked; "or is it Mrs. Weatherley, eh?"

Arnold lifted his head and looked fixedly at Mr. Jarvis. The latter
suddenly remembered that he had come in to search among the letters
for some invoices. He busied himself for a moment or two, sorting
them out.

"Well, well," he said, "I hope the governor will soon be here,
anyway. There are a lot of t