."

And with that Millard went out. The bait of the assistant cashiership
was not tempting enough to draw him into this intrigue. The greater part
of his capital was in the bank, and he knew that the withdrawal of
Masters would be a misfortune to him. Finding that Farnsworth was out,
Millard went to the president's room under color of showing him a letter
of importance. A man of dignity doesn't like to seem to bear tales with
malice prepense. When he was about to leave Millard said:

"I hear that a motion is to be made looking to changes in the personnel
of the bank."

The president was a little startled; his first impression from this
remark being that somehow Millard had got wind of the plans he had
revolved and then discarded.

"What do you hear?" he said, in his usual non-committal way.

"Nothing very definite, but something that leads me to think that Mr.
Farnsworth would like to be vice-president and that Meadows would
consent to have his brother take the cashiership."

"No doubt, no doubt," said Mr. Masters, smiling. It was his habit to
smile when he felt the impulse to frown. He did not like to seem
ignorant of anything going on in the bank, so he said no more to
Millard, but let the conversation drop. He presently regretted this, and
by the time Millard had reached his desk he was recalled.

"You understand that Mr. Farnsworth and Meadows are acting in concert?"

"I have reason to think so."

"Do you think it would be wise to make Mr. Farnsworth vice-president?"

Millard turned the palms of his hands upward and shrugged his shoulders.
He made no other reply than to add, "You know him as well as I do."

"Who would be a good man for the place?"

"Have you thought of Hilbrough?"

"Yes, he would bring real strength to the bank; and, Mr. Millard, there
is one promotion I have long had in mind," said the president. "You
ought to be made assistant cashier, with a considerably larger salary
than you have been getting."

Millard made a slight bow. "I'm sure you don't expect me to offer
serious opposition to that proposal." Then he could not refrain from
adding, "I believe Mr. Farnsworth and Meadows have also reached that
conclusion."

There was no opportunity to reply to this; Farnsworth was heard wheezing
outside the door.

Masters thought rapidly that afternoon. He admitted to himself, as he
had hardly done before, that he was growing old and that a successful
bank ought to have some more vigorous