rivate room!

Satisfied that his complicity with Dornton's escape was discovered, the
unfortunate Herbert presented himself, pale but self-possessed, before
his employer. That brief man of business bade him be seated, and
standing himself before the fireplace, looked down curiously, but not
unkindly, upon his employee.

"Mr. Bly, the bank does not usually interfere with the private affairs
of its employees, but for certain reasons which I prefer to explain to
you later, I must ask you to give me a straightforward answer to one or
two questions. I may say that they have nothing to do with your
relations to the bank, which are to us perfectly satisfactory."

More than ever convinced that Mr. Carstone was about to speak of his
visitor, Herbert signified his willingness to reply.

"You have been seen a great deal with Miss Brooks lately--on the street
and elsewhere--acting as her escort, and evidently on terms of
intimacy. To do you both justice, neither of you seemed to have made
it a secret or avoided observation; but I must ask you directly if it
is with her mother's permission?"

Considerably relieved, but wondering what was coming, Herbert answered,
with boyish frankness, that it was.

"Are you--engaged to the young lady?"

"No, sir."

"Are you--well, Mr. Bly--briefly, are you what is called 'in love' with
her?" asked the banker, with a certain brusque hurrying over of a
sentiment evidently incompatible with their present business
surroundings.

Herbert blushed. It was the first time he had heard the question
voiced, even by himself.

"I am," he said resolutely.

"And you wish to marry her?"

"If I dared ask her to accept a young man with no position as yet,"
stammered Herbert.

"People don't usually consider a young man in Carstone's Bank of no
position," said the banker dryly; "and I wish for your sake THAT were
the only impediment. For I am compelled to reveal to you a secret."
He paused, and folding his arms, looked fixedly down upon his clerk.
"Mr. Bly, Tappington Brooks, the brother of your sweetheart, was a
defaulter and embezzler from this bank!"

Herbert sat dumfounded and motionless.

"Understand two things," continued Mr. Carstone quickly. "First, that
no purer or better women exist than Miss Brooks and her mother.
Secondly, that they know nothing of this, and that only myself and one
other man are in possession of the secret."

He slightly changed his position, and went on more d