erve mysteries concerning himself in the regard
of both. It is certain that nobody in his office, where he roused
considerable speculation even among a more engrossed and less
inquisitive class, knew where he lived. The office had not heard of
Banbridge; Banbridge had heard of the office, but knew nothing about
it. The office, in a way, was not nearly as wise as Banbridge, for it
knew nothing whatever of his family affairs. There was therein much
speculation and, more than that, heart-burning as to whether Captain
Carroll was or was not married. In the inner office, whence issued a
mad tick of type-writers all through business hours, were two girls,
one quite young and very pretty, the other also young, but not so
pretty, both working for very small returns. There was also a
book-keeper, a middle-aged man, and vibrating from the inner to the
outer office was a young fellow with an innocent, high forehead and
an eager, anxious outlook of brown eyes and a fashion of seeming to
hang suspended on springs of readiness for motion when an order
should come.

This young fellow, who sped in and out with that alacrity at the word
of command, who hastened on errands with such impetus that he
inspired alarm among the imaginative, had acquired a curious
springiness about his hips that almost gave the effect of
dislocation. He winked very fast, having gotten a nervous trick. He
hurried ceaselessly. He had upon him the profound conviction of not
time enough and the need of haste. He was in love with the prettier
of the stenographers, and his heart was torn when he heard the
surmises as to his employer's married or single estate. He used to
watch Carroll when he left the office at night, and satisfied himself
that he turned towards Sixth Avenue, and then he satisfied himself no
more. Carroll plunged into mystery at night as he did for Banbridge
in the morning. It was borne in upon the clerk who had an opulent
imagination that Carroll was a great swell and went every night to
one of the swellest of the up-town clubs, where he resided in luxury
and the most genteel and lordly dissipation. He had, at the same
time, a jealousy of and a profound pride in Carroll. Carroll himself
had a sort of kindly scorn of him, and treated him very well. He was
not of the description of weak character who antagonized him.

As for the girls in the inner office, Carroll only recognized them
there. Seen on the street, away from the environment, he would si