e and inexplicable discrepancy of company funds--which
discrepancy was promptly and liberally met by the aforementioned
relative. Whereupon, Captain Wentworth was honorably discharged from
the service of his country.

For many months after his discharge he lived by his wits and looks, but
when this grew unproductive of ready cash, he decided to seek
employment in his accredited vocation.

This decision he arrived at while sojourning in the home of a wealthy
fruit-grower who was interested in the Nettle River project, and who
furnished him a letter of recommendation to Orcutt, who promptly
employed him. Thereafter all went well until McNabb's ultimatum
brought the Nettle River project to as sudden a termination as the
armistice had brought the war. Whereupon Wentworth found himself in
the uncomfortable predicament of having no available assets and many
pressing liabilities, incurred in the course of his endeavor to win the
good graces of the wealthy Jean McNabb.

While scarcely knowing Hedin, Wentworth recognized him as a possible
rival. He, himself, was no connoisseur of fur, but at least he knew a
Russian sable when he saw one, and as he preceded Jean down the aisle,
his brain worked rapidly.

By the time he reached the street, a daring scheme was half-formed in
his brain--a scheme which, if successful, would work the utter ruin of
Hedin, and leave him a clear field with the girl. At the first corner
he excused himself.

Hardly was the girl's back turned when Wentworth dodged around the
corner and entered McNabb's store by another door just in time to see
old John rush from the building, bag in hand, and hurry down the street
in the direction of the station.

McNabb's was the only big store in Terrace City, and being a department
store, it kept city hours, so while on Saturday evenings all the other
stores remained open for business until a late hour, McNabb's closed at
noon. Passing unnoticed down the aisle, Wentworth's eyes darted here
and there in search of a place of concealment, until at length he took
up a position close beside McNabb's private office, the door of which,
he noted with satisfaction, stood slightly ajar.

Watching his opportunity, Wentworth slipped unnoticed into the private
office, closed the door softly behind him, and sank comfortably into
McNabb's desk chair.

A gong sounded, and was repeated, dimly, upon the floors above.
Wentworth could hear the tramp of feet in the aisles as