the old man's presence. There was a
change in his manner, most marked. Again and again that remark
occurred to him, and again and again, in the compradore's presence,
Withers was conscious of a feeling of undefinable hostility. He holds
me responsible, he thought, absurd, but that's what it is. Because I
did not prevent him from going to America. Therefore Withers was very
glad to go to Peking from time to time, for he liked the excitement of
the barbaric capital, and besides, he thought it would be good for Li
to be quite on his own in charge of the godowns, and might distract
his thoughts from that obsession which was preying upon him.

One day, after an absence of two weeks, young Withers returned to his
Tientsin office, which wore a somewhat deserted air. The shroff was
clicking on his abacus, and left off snicking the beads up and down to
remark casually that the compradore had gone. The shroff was a young
Chinese who spoke excellent, mission-school English, and wore good
European clothes, and he shared Withers' astonishment that such a
thing had happened.

"Wanted to go home, he said. Had had enough business. Gone home ten
days ago, with his family. Said say good-bye to you."

Withers' first feeling was of relief. That's that, he thought to
himself, and just as well. He stood eyeing the young Chinese
accountant, and the shroff looked him back fairly in the eye, and the
same thought passed through both minds. A younger man would do just as
well as compradore, and here was the younger man at hand, waiting.
"Let's go down to the godowns," said Withers, and the two walked out
of the office together, in the direction of the quais. The shroff
should learn things from the beginning, and taking charge of the bales
and boxes in the warehouses, counting them, distributing their
contents, was part of the business.

On unlocking the great, heavy doors, the godowns presented a singular
aspect. Never, in all the years that young Withers had been associated
as junior partner in Withers, Ltd., and never in the few years since
he had become Withers, Ltd. himself, had the godowns presented such an
aspect. They were empty. Quite, stark, utterly empty. Not a bale, not
a box, not a yard of calico was to be found anywhere about. The
sunshine slanted in through the open door, and not a moat of dust
danced in the rays, for nothing had been disturbed for some time, and
the dust was settled. They went top-side, into the lofts. The same