"Then, Miss Staunton, let me tell you that you have taken a great liberty in coming to see me. You have forced your way into my room unannounced. I must ask you to have the goodness to retire as quickly as you came. If you do not leave my room this moment, I shall be forced to compel you to go." "No, you will not," said Effie--"no, that is not like you. You would not willingly be unkind to a suffering and innocent girl, when she forces herself, against her true inclinations, against her real modesty, to seek an interview with you. I come in great sorrow and despair, and you are not the man who will treat me roughly--I don't fear it. You like to say harsh words, but your heart is not harsh. I beg of you, therefore, to listen to my story. I will not keep you long." "You are a very queer, courageous sort of girl," said Gering, after a pause. "As you have come, I suppose I may as well listen to you; but please understand at once that I have no mercy for your brother; that his career here is ended." "That is only just and right. I have not come to plead with you to take George back--I know that that would be asking too much. What I have come to say I can say in a very few words." "They must be very few if you expect me to leave my business to attend to them." Effie came close to where Mr. Gering was seated; he did not rise, nor motion her to a chair. At this moment the clerk who had refused to take her message entered the room. "Leave us for a moment, Power," said Mr. Gering. The man withdrew immediately. "Thank you," said Effie. Then she added abruptly, "I won't keep you a moment. I will tell you quite simply what I want. My brother George has behaved very badly." "To put it plainly," interrupted Mr. Gering, "your brother George is a scoundrel." "You may call him any names you please," said Effie; "I have not come here to defend him. I know that he stole fifty pounds from you yesterday." "Oh, you know that, do you?" "Yes. Forty-five pounds of that money he put into the City Bank in my mother's name. That forty-five pounds you can have back within an hour. We shall then be in your debt five pounds, which I want you to let me pay you back. I have just secured a very good situation as a governess, and am to be in receipt of one hundred and twenty pounds a year. I can pay you back the money in about a month's time out of my own salary." "You are very conscientious," said Mr. Gering, with a slight sneer, "and I shall be glad to have my money back. If that is all your business, perhaps you will leave me." "No, it is not all my business. I want you to forgive George,--not to prosecute him,--not to give him up to the law." "Ah! I thought that was coming. And why, pray, should I not prosecute the young rascal? Don't you think he richly deserves punishment?" "Honestly, I do." When Effie said this, Mr. Gering's eyes twinkled for the first time.