He never looked at me. On the contrary, he appeared to guess where I
was, and purposely avoided turning in that direction.

The fellows were evidently perplexed, and not quite pleased.

"You've won your bet," said Harris across the screen to Doubleday.

"Never mind, you've got your man," replied Doubleday.

"He seems awfully pleased with himself," said Crow.

"I wish my governor was a yellow-jacket, so I do," growled Wallop, "then
I could hold up my head like a gentleman. But he's only a merchant!"

All this was said in a loud voice, evidently for the benefit of Smith.
He, however, heeded it not, but quietly took his pen and blotting-paper
from his desk, and turning to Harris said, "I want that ledger to go on
with, if you'll unlock the safe, please."

Harris stared in astonishment. It had passed his comprehension how the
fellow could have the face to show up at the office at all, but for him
to have the audacity to address a fellow-clerk, and that fellow-clerk
Harris, of all people, seemed fairly to stun that worthy.

It took him fully half a minute to recover his speech. Then he
stammered out in white heat, "Eh? Do you know who you're speaking to--
you cad?"

"I'm speaking to you," said Smith, calmly.

"Then what do you mean by it, you son of a thief?" demanded Harris.
"When I want you to speak to me I'll ask you--there."

Smith looked up with a slight flush on his face.

"You seem to want to quarrel," he said. "I don't intend to quarrel.
I'll wait till you choose to unlock the safe."

This mild reply seemed to exasperate Harris far more than an angry
retort would have done. He was naturally short-tempered, and when
conscious that he was being worsted in an argument before his fellow-
clerks he was always particularly savage.

He walked up to Smith and demanded furiously, "Didn't I tell you I'm not
going to be spoken to by a low gaol-bird like you? If you don't hold
your tongue I'll give you such a thrashing as will make you remember
it."

"Come now, you fellows," said Doubleday, "if you must have a row, keep
it to yourselves. The governor will be here in a second. Plenty of
time for a shindy in the evening."

Even this interposition failed to put the irate Harris off his purpose.

Seizing a ruler, he struck Smith a blow on the shoulder with it that
resounded all through the office.

"There, you cowardly dog, take that for daring to speak to a gentleman!"

Smith sprang to his feet, his