and handed the senior partner a card.

"Send him in." He turned to Perkins. "It's Billings. Just you think
this over to-night, Perk."

"Hello, Billings."

CHAPTER VIII

CHICKENS COMING HOME TO ROOST

Skinner _did_ look worried, but what ailed him was very foreign to the
cause that McLaughlin and Perkins suspected. He was worrying about his
diminishing bank account. But it was n't the actual diminution of funds
that worried him so much--he was afraid Honey would find him out.

For a long time this fear had haunted him. Like a wasp, it had buzzed
constantly about his ears, threatening to sting him at any moment. It
had become a veritable obsession, a mean, haunting, appetite-destroying,
sleep-banishing obsession.

There were many ways in which this fear might be realized. For instance,
Honey had told him that she was thinking of studying finance so as to
find out all the little leakages and help them save, and that she was
going to ask Mr. Waldron, the teller of the Meadeville National, to
instruct her in the intricacies of banking.

What inadvertent remark might not that functionary drop and thus sow
suspicion in Honey? At first, Skinner had thought of warning the teller
not to discuss these things with Honey. But he made up his mind that
that might direct Waldron's attention to their account and lead him to
suspect something from the new process of circulation which Skinner had
set going when he promoted himself. No--better let sleeping dogs lie in
that direction. Instead, Skinner persuaded Honey that it would be an
imposition on Mr. Waldron, take up too much of his time. He, Skinner,
would give her what instruction she needed.

The more the "cage man" schemed to keep his wife from finding out the
deception he'd practiced on her, the more possibilities of exposure
developed, and the more apprehensive he became.

No sooner did Honey promise not to bother Mr. Waldron than another danger
popped up. By Jingo! There was Mrs. McLaughlin! Honey might again
mention to her something about his raise, reiterate what she had hinted
at on the night of the First Presbyterian reception. No doubt, if she
did, Mrs. McLaughlin would quiz her this time, find out what she was
driving at, and report it to McLaughlin and make him, Skinner, a
laughing-stock in the eyes of the boss. Then, by a series of recoils,
McLaughlin would deny it to his wife, Mrs. McLaughlin would deny it to
Honey, and there'd be the