in," he cried. "I'd rather
you didn't go just this minute. I'd like to have you stay. Please."

Phineas answered over his shoulder. The answer was a savage snarl
and a command for "Shavings" to mind his own business. Grover
spoke then.

"Mr. Babbitt," he suggested, "don't you think you had better stay a
moment? Mr. Winslow seems to wish it."

Babbitt reached for the handle of the door, but Grover's hand was
lightly laid on his shoulder.

"Do stay, Mr. Babbitt," begged the Major, sweetly. "To oblige me,
you know."

Phineas swore with such vehemence that the oath might have been
heard across the road. What he might have said thereafter is a
question. At that moment his attention was caught by something
which Jed Winslow had in his hands and he stayed to stare at it.
The something was a bundle of crumpled banknotes.

CHAPTER XVIII

Jed came forward, the roll of bills in his hand. He seemed quite
oblivious of the Babbitt stare, or, for that matter, of the
complete silence which had so suddenly fallen upon the group in the
shop. He came forward, smoothing the crumpled notes with fingers
which shook a little. He stopped in front of Captain Hunniwell.
The captain was gazing at him and at the money. Jed did not meet
his friend's eye; he continued to smooth the banknotes. Captain
Sam spoke first.

"What's that?" he demanded. "What money's that?"

Jed's fingers moved back and forth across the bills and he answered
without looking up. He seemed much embarrassed.

"Sam," he faltered. "Sam--er--you remember you told me you'd--er--
lost some money a spell ago? Some--er--money you'd collected over
to Wapatomac. You remember that, don't you?"

Captain Sam looked at him in puzzled surprise. "Remember it?" he
repeated. "Course I remember it. Gracious king, 'tain't likely
I'd forget it, is it?"

Jed nodded. "No-o," he drawled, solemnly. "No, course you
couldn't. 'Twas four hundred dollars you was short, wan't it?"

The Captain's puzzled look was still there.

"Yes," he replied. "What of it?"

"Why--why, just this, Sam: I--I want it to be plain, you
understand. I want Major Grover and Phineas here to understand
the--the whole of it. There's a lot of talk, seems so, around town
about money bein' missin' from the bank--"

Captain Sam interrupted. "The deuce there is!" he exclaimed.
"That's the first I've heard of any such talk. Who's talkin'?"

"Oh, a--a good many folks, I judge lik