ang, calling us here instantly,"
returned the man.

"Bless me! I forgot entirely about those confounded electric buttons,"
declared the bogus Armstrong, turning very red. "I'll have 'em put
somewhere else to-morrow; great nuisance; always in the way." And after
an instant a bright thought occurred to him, and he said blandly: "Well,
to tell you the truth, men, I was only trying you to see how quickly you
would respond; you may all go now."

The men quitted the private office, looking rather dumfounded into each
other's blank faces, and in less than half an hour afterward every
employee in the vast dry goods establishment heard the shocking news,
that Mr. Lester Armstrong, whom they all believed well-nigh perfect, was
terribly intoxicated up in his private office, but they were to be
still more astounded ere the eventful day closed.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE WILL DISINHERITING FAYNIE.

As soon as the men had quitted the private office Kendale sprang to his
feet and began pacing up and down the length of the room excitedly,
muttering under his breath:

"'Ah, what a fatal web we weave
When first we practice to deceive.'

"It seems to me that there are traps in every direction to catch me. I
must be extra shrewd. I'll have those confounded bells changed at once.
I shouldn't be at all surprised to find an electric bell connected with
that chair at the desk which would call up the entire fire force of the
city if I were to lean back far enough in it."

He flung himself down in his seat again and took up the letter which he
had been perusing and which interested him so.

When he had first broken the seal of this missive his heart had fairly
jumped into his throat; at the first glance he saw that it was from Mrs.
Fairfax, of Beechwood.

He read it carefully through fully a half dozen times. It ran as
follows:

"MY DEAR MR. ARMSTRONG: I wish to extend to you my sincere
congratulations over your good fortune in succeeding to the
business of my dear old friend and neighbor, Mr. Marsh, late of
Beechwood village. I feel as though I know you well from hearing
him speak so continually of you. I am indeed thankful that his
business fell into the hands of one whom he trusted so deeply.

"It was his wish, long ago, that we should meet and know each
other, and in remembrance of this, his earnest and oft-repeated
wish, I now extend you a cordial invitation to visit our h