.

"We have no desire to proceed to extremities, Mr Anson," he said in
conclusion, "and every opportunity will be given you to clear yourself;
but in the meantime you must consider yourself under supervision, and
your lodgings will be searched."

"I protest, sir," cried the young man warmly. "You have no right to
order such a thing to be done without magisterial authority."

"Then we will assume the right, Mr Anson, as it is a question of our
property being stolen by our black employes and finding a purchaser in
one of our clerks. Mr West, as the superintendent is keeping an eye
upon Anson, I presume he is here?"

"I passed him at the door as I came in, sir," answered West.

"Have the goodness to call him in."

Anson winced; but he faced the tall stern-looking officer of police as
he entered and heard the reason for his being called in.

"Then you wish a search to be made, gentlemen?" said the superintendent.

"Certainly."

"Look here," cried Anson fiercely; "there's law for everybody. I'm not
your servant any longer, for I refuse to stay with such a pack of
tyrannical dividend-making scoundrels."

"That will do," growled the superintendent, in a low, deep voice. "Keep
a civil tongue in your head. You'll do no good for yourself by this."

"You mind your own business," cried Anson, turning upon the officer so
fiercely that West wondered at the change in his fellow-clerk's manner.

"All right: I will," said the officer, seizing him sharply.

"Here, what are you going to do?" cried Anson, in alarm.

"Search you, my lad," was the reply.

"Then I call everyone present to witness that this is illegal. I'm not
going to stand quietly by and be treated like a worm."

"Leave off wriggling, then," said the officer.

"I won't. I refuse to be treated like one of the black labourers."

"Look here, sir," said the officer sternly; "I don't want to treat you
like a Kaffir unless you behave like one. You are charged with illicit
buying, and your game's up; so the best thing you can do is to produce
everything you have on you and have done with the matter."

"Search me if you dare," cried Anson, still keeping up his defiant
manner.

"Right: I dare," said the officer. "Mr Ingleborough, be ready to lend
a hand if I want it."

"If John Ingleborough dares to lay a hand on me I'll send a bullet
through him."

In an instant Ingleborough's hand came down heavily upon Anson's
shoulder and gripped him fast.

"