and entering, handed the girl a
hastily scribbled leaf torn from a notebook. Jean read it at a glance,
and her face flushed with swift anger. No salutation, only a few
scrawled words: "Must see you at once. Purely matter of business--very
important--about the coat."

Crossing to her desk the girl scribbled upon the reverse side of the
paper. "Never talk business on Sunday. Coat will be at store as per
agreement."

IX

On Monday morning old John McNabb entered his private office to find
Hedin awaiting him. He glanced at the younger man inquiringly--"What
ails ye, lad? Ye look like ye hadn't slept for a week."

"I haven't slept for two nights," answered Hedin. "There is no use
beating around the bush. As a matter of fact, the Russian sable coat
is missing, and I am to blame for it."

The old man stared incredulously. "Missin'!" he exclaimed. "An'
you're to blame! What d'ye mean?"

Hastily, in as few words as possible, Hedin recited the facts as he
knew them, while an angry flush mounted to the old man's face.

McNabb reached for the telephone and called a number. "Hello! Is that
you, Jean? Come to the store at once, and bring your new fur coat--to
my office. . . . What? No, that won't do, at all. Bring it
yourself--I'm waitin'."

"I'll step outside while Jean--while Miss McNabb----"

"Ye'll stay where ye are!" snapped McNabb.

The older man turned to his desk, where for ten minutes he opened and
closed drawers and rustled papers viciously. Then the door opened and
Jean herself stepped into the room with the fur coat over her arm.
"Well, Dad, here's the coat." She paused abruptly, glanced inquiringly
at Hedin, nodded coolly, and continued, "Oskar said it needed a little
tailoring, and that I was to bring it down this morning, but I didn't
think there was any tearing hurry about it."

Her father took the garment, smoothed the fur with his hand, and asked
casually, "Is this the coat ye wore from the store?"

"Why, of course it is."

"An' the one ye wore to the show?"

"Yes, yes," answered the girl impatiently. "I haven't so many fur
coats that I would be apt to get them mixed."

McNabb ignored the impatience. "Ye've had no other coat in your
possession since you selected this one?"

"No, I haven't. What's all this about?"

"Did Oskar tell you what kind of a coat you were gettin'?"

"Yes, a baum marten. Why, isn't it a baum marten?"

McNabb nodded. "Yes, it's a baum mart