, sir."

"And have you ever been in arrears before?"

"No, sir."

"Then you deserve consideration. Mr. Mullins, give Mrs. Carlin a
receipt on account, and she will pay the balance as soon as she can."

"Thank you, sir. May the saints reward you, sir! Shure, I told this
gentleman that you'd make it all right with me. He was very hard with
me."

"Mr. Mullins," said the agent, sternly, "I have before now told you
that our customers are to be treated with consideration and kindness."

David Mullins did not reply, but he dug his pen viciously into the
paper on which he was writing a receipt, and scowled, but as his back
was turned to his employer, the latter did not see it.

When Mrs. Carlin had left the office, Chester thought it best to
introduce himself.

"I am Chester Rand, from Wyncombe," he said. "Mr. Conrad came round to
introduce me, but you were not in."

"Ah, yes, you have come to be my office boy. I am glad to see you and
hope you will like the city. Mr. Mullins, you will set this boy to
work."

"He told me he was to work here, but as you had not mentioned it I
thought there must be some mistake. He says he doesn't know much about
the city."

"Neither did I when I first came here from a country town."

"It will be rather inconvenient, sir. Now, my cousin whom I mentioned
to you is quite at home all over the city."

"I am glad to hear it. He will find this knowledge of service--in some
other situation," added Mr. Fairchild, significantly.

David Mullins bit his lip and was silent. He could not understand why
Felix Gordon, his cousin, had failed to impress Mr. Fairchild
favorably. He had not noticed that Felix entered the office with a
cigarette in his mouth, which he only threw away when he was introduced
to the real estate agent.

"I'll have that boy out of this place within a month, or my name isn't
David Mullins," he said to himself.

Chester could not read what was passing through his mind, but he felt
instinctively that the bookkeeper was his enemy.

CHAPTER XIII.

MR. MULLINS, THE BOOKKEEPER.

Chester felt that it was necessary to be on his guard. The bookkeeper
was already his enemy. There were two causes for this. First, Mr.
Mullins was naturally of an ugly disposition, and, secondly, he was
disappointed in not securing the situation for his cousin.

At noon the latter made his appearance. He was a thin,
dark-complexioned boy, with curious-looking eyes that somehow inspire