was reading
than she herself was perfectly clear to her.

Finally the clock struck eleven. She got up, and said she had to go to
the kitchen to make the fire. A maid usually came in at eleven to get
dinner for the family, but to-day she had not appeared. Out in the hall
Eleanore took her straw hat, and hastened over to Gertrude's as fast as
her feet could carry her. Daniel was not at home; Gertrude was peeling
potatoes.

In three sentences Eleanore had told her sister the whole story. "Now
you come with me at once! Go up and stay with Father! See that he does
not leave the house! I will be back in half an hour!"

Gertrude was literally dragged down the steps by Eleanore; before she
could ask questions of any kind, Eleanore had disappeared.

At the General Agency Herr Zittel met her with the reply from that
Gerber, Benno's friend. It bore Gerber's signature, and read: "Benno
Jordan has not been here."

Benjamin Dorn stood behind Herr Zittel; he displayed an expression of
soft, smooth, dirge-like regret.

"Herr Diruf would like to speak to you," said Herr Zittel coldly.

Eleanore entered Herr Diruf's private office; her face was pale. He kept
on writing for about three minutes before he took any notice of her.
Then his plum-like eyes opened lazily, a rare, voluptuous smile sneaked
out from under his moustache like a slothful flash of heat lightning; he
said: "The sharper has gone and done it, hasn't he?"

Eleanore never moved.

"Can the embezzled money be returned within twenty-four hours?" asked
the pudgy, purple prince of pen-pushers.

"My father will do everything that is humanly possible," replied
Eleanore anxiously.

"Be so good as to inform your father that to-morrow morning at twelve
o'clock the charge will be preferred and placed in the hands of the
police, if the money has not been paid by that time."

Eleanore hastened home. Now her father had to be brought face to face
with the realities of the case. He and Gertrude were sitting close to
each other in terrible silence. Eleanore revealed the exact state of
affairs; she had to.

"My good name!" groaned Jordan.

He had to save himself from disgrace; the twenty-four hours seemed to
offer him a sure means of doing this. He had not the remotest doubt but
that he could find friends who would come to his aid; for he had
something of which he could boast: a blameless past and the reputation
of being a reliable citizen.

Thus he thought it over to hi