fore Mr.
Vyner, stood patiently by the table while he signed them.

"That will do," said the latter, as he finished. "Thank you."

"Thank you, sir," said Bassett. He gave a slow glance at the window,
and, arranging the cheques neatly, turned toward the door.

"Will Mr. Hartley be long?" inquired Joan, turning round.

"Mr. Hartley, miss?" said Bassett, pausing, with his hand on the knob.
"Mr. Hartley left half an hour ago."

Mr. Vyner, who felt the eyes of Miss Hartley fixed upon him, resisted by
a supreme effort the impulse to look at her in return.

"Bassett!" he said, sharply.

"Sir?" said the other.. "Didn't you," said Mr. Vyner, with a fine and
growing note of indignation in his voice--"didn't you tell Mr. Hartley
that Miss Hartley was here waiting for him?"

"No, sir," said Bassett, gazing at certain mysterious workings of the
junior partner's face with undisguised amazement. "I--"

"Do you mean to tell me," demanded Mr. Vyner, looking at him with great
significance, "that you forgot?"

"No, sir," said Bassett; "I didn't--"

"That will do," broke in Mr. Vyner, imperiously. "That will do. You can
go."

"But," said the amazed youth, "how could I tell--"

"That--will--do," said Mr. Vyner, very distinctly.

"I don't want any excuses. You can go at once. And the next time you are
told to deliver a message, please don't forget. Now go."

With a fine show of indignation he thrust the gasping Bassett from the
room.

[Illustration: A fine show of indignation 044]

He rose from his chair and, with a fine show of indignation, thrust the
gasping Bassett from the room, and then turned to face the girl.

"I am so sorry," he began. "That stupid boy--you see how stupid he is--"

"It doesn't matter, thank you," said Joan. "It--it wasn't very
important."

"He doesn't usually forget things," murmured Mr. Vyner. "I wish now," he
added, truthfully, "that I had told Mr. Hartley myself."

He held the door open for her, and, still expressing his regret,
accompanied her down-stairs to the door. Miss Hartley, somewhat
embarrassed, and a prey to suspicions which maidenly modesty forbade her
to voice, listened in silence.

"Next time you come," said Mr. Vyner, pausing just outside the door, "I
hope--"

Something dropped between them, and fell with a little tinkling crash on
to the pavement. Mr. Vyner stooped, and, picking up a pair of clumsily
fashioned spectacles, looked swiftly up at the office window.

"Basse