ghts.

"My father was right," said Dunn, below his breath; "that girl will
bring sorrow on us yet."

"But, after all, what value could they have in her eyes? She knows
nothing about the questions they refer to; she could not decipher the
very titles of the documents."

"I ought to have known,--I ought to have foreseen it," cried Dunn,
passionately. "What has my whole life been but a struggle against the
blunders, the follies, and the faults of those who should have served
me! Other men are fortunate in their agents. It was reserved for me to
have nothing but incapables, or worse."

"If you mean to include _me_ in either of these categories, sir, will
you please to say which?" said Hankes, reddening with anger.

"Take your choice,--either, or both!" said Dunn, savagely.

"A man must be very strong in honesty that can afford to speak in this
fashion of others," said Hankes, his voice tremulous with rage. "At all
events, the world shall declare whether he be right or not."

"How do you mean, 'the world shall declare'? Is it that what has passed
between us here can be made matter for public notoriety? Would you
dare--"

"Oh, I would dare a great deal, sir, if I was pushed to it," said
Hankes, scoffingly. "I would dare, for instance, to let the world we are
speaking of into some of the mysteries of modern banking. I have a vast
amount of information to give as to the formation of new companies,--how
shares are issued, cancelled, and reissued. I could tell some amusing
anecdotes about title-deeds of estates that never were transferred--"

Why is it that Mr. Hankes, now in the full flood of his sarcasm, stops
so suddenly? What has arrested his progress; and why does he move so
hurriedly towards the door, which Dunn has, however, already reached
before him and locked? Was it something in the expression of Dunn's
features that alarmed him?--truly, there was in his look what might
have appalled a stouter heart,--or was it that Dunn had suddenly taken
something, he could not discern what, from a drawer, and hastily hidden
it in his pocket?

"Merciful heavens!" cried Hankes, trembling all over, "you would not
dare--"

"Like yourself, sir, I would dare much if pushed to it," said Dunn, in
a voice that now had recovered all its wonted composure. "But come,
Hankes, it is not a hasty word or an ungenerous speech is to break up
the ties of a long friendship. I was wrong; I was unjust; I ask your
pardon for it. You have ser