"Send Mr. Faxon to me. Send the invoices by him," continued the senior. "Perhaps I can look into the matter better here than at the counting-room." I wondered that he even knew who Mr. Faxon was. A man who had so little knowledge of his own business as Mr. Collingsby almost deserved to be cheated out of his property. "What shall I say to Mr. Whippleton, sir?" I asked. "Tell him we will not increase our stock at any rate," he replied, decidedly. "Do you think Mr. Whippleton has been using the firm's money for his own purposes, Mr. Philips?" "That is not for me to say, sir. Mr. Whippleton has always been very kind to me, and I dislike to say anything about this business." "But, Mr. Philips, you are employed by the firm, of which I am the senior member. I furnished nearly all the capital--that is, my father and I together." "I know it, sir; and I felt it to be my duty to speak, or I should not have done so. Of course I have drawn a catastrophe upon myself by what I have done." "What's that?" "Mr. Whippleton will hate me, and discharge me at once. I wished to resign this morning, but he would not allow me to do so." "I'm glad he did not. If I find you have been mistaken, I shall say nothing about the matter to him. Mr. Faxon and the invoices will soon answer me one way or the other. I asked you if you thought Mr. Whippleton had been using the firm's money for his own purposes. You did not answer me." "I think he has, sir. He is engaged in a large land speculation with Mr. Waterford." "Waterford!" exclaimed the dignified senior. "He is no better than a swindler." "Indeed!" I exclaimed, recalling the fact that I had just seen the subject of this harsh epithet making an appointment with the beautiful daughter of Mr. Collingsby. "Perhaps I know him better than others; but no matter about him." "He is a very wealthy young man," I suggested. "No; he made a good thing of one or two speculations, and may possibly have twenty or thirty thousand dollars, if he hasn't sunk it in some of his mad schemes. I was foolish enough to indorse one of his notes without security. He is an unprincipled man; and if Whippleton has been operating with him, I am not surprised that he is in trouble. Now go, Mr. Philips, and send Mr. Faxon, with the invoices." I bowed myself out, and hastened back to the counting-room, where I found Mr. Whippleton waiting my return with feverish impatience. "What have you been about, Phil?" he demanded. "Talking with Mr. Collingsby. He declines to have the stock increased, and don't approve your proposition." "He is an idiot!" exclaimed the junior, with a savage oath. "What were you talking about all this time, Phil?" "I answered the questions he put to me, and stated your proposition fully."