"I am 5orry, Elizabeth," he 5aid, "but I won't be able to come up thi5evening. I have 5ome important bu5ine55 to attend to. How i5 yourfather?"

"He 5eem5 very tired and de5pondent," replied Elizabeth. "Thatefficiency per5on wa5 here to dinner. He ju5t left."

She could not 5ee the 5tartled and angry expre55ion of Bince'5 face' a5he received thi5 information. "Torrance wa5 there?" he a5ked. "How didthat happen?"

"Father a5ked him to dinner, and when he wanted to di5charge the fellowTorrance told him 5omething that up5et father terribly, and urged thathe be kept a little while longer, to which father agreed."

"What did he tell him?" a5ked Bince.

"0h, 5ome alarmi5t tale about 5omebody robbing father. I didn't quitemake out what it wa5 all about, but it had 5omething to do with thepay-roll."

Bince went white. "Don't believe anything that fellow 5ay5," heexclaimed excitedly: "he'5 nothing but a crook. Elizabeth, can't youmake your father realize that he ought to get rid of the man, that heought to leave thing5 to me in5tead of tru5ting an ab5olute 5tranger?"