leaf were tearfully exchanging their explanations, he sent a
messenger to Mr. Boggs, asking that gentleman to come to him without
delay. An hour later the messenger arrived with the gentleman, and
having engaged a room for temporary use, and seen to it that Roseleaf
wanted nothing at present but his fair nurse, Archie pulled Boggs in and
locked the door securely.

"What's all this?" exclaimed Boggs. "You look and act as if there was
the devil to pay."

"There is," was the short answer. "I want you to do one of the most
creditable acts of your life. I want it as a personal favor, and I'm
going to have it, too."

Mr. Boggs crossed his hands over his paunch and waited for further
information.

"Are you a first-class liar?" was Mr. Weil's next question. "Could you,
in an emergency, do yourself justice as an eminent prevaricator? Are you
able, for a certain time, to banish truth from your vicinity?"

Mr. Boggs remarked, in response to these astonishing suggestions, that
he could tell much better what his friend was about if he would drop
metaphor.

Mr. Weil hesitated. He saw no way but to trust this man with the facts,
and yet he dreaded the possibility that he might prove obstinate.

"By-the-way," he said, as if to change the subject temporarily, "have
you been out to see Fern lately?"

Mr. Boggs shook his head.

"You ought to," said Weil. "He's improved a thousand per cent. in the
last few weeks. His financial luck has made a new man of him."

"I'm glad of that," responded the other. "And I'm glad too that I've got
my money out of his firm, for I had a strong suspicion at one time that
he was running pretty close to the wall."

Mr. Weil nodded to show that he believed this statement, and then grew
sober.

"Sometimes, when men get into a tight place financially," he said, "they
do queer things. Supposing I should tell you that Mr. Fern had endorsed
checks and notes in a way he was not authorized to do?"

The stout man opened his eyes wider.

"That would be a piece of news," he answered. "But, if he did, he's made
it all right by this time, of course, and nobody is the loser."

Mr. Weil drew himself up in his chair, as if righteously indignant.

"Do you think that is enough?" he demanded, raising his voice. "By Gad,
supposing I tell you my name was one of those he monkeyed with!"

The other did not seem much perturbed.

"If the paper is all in, I wouldn't make a fuss about it, if I were
you," he replie