"Why didn't I? I needed the money. I got twenty-five hundred cash from Ramsay, and let him put twenty-five on account. I agreed to take one thousand in trade from Wyman Brothers, and got four thousand cash there." The younger man looked at him angrily. "Look here, Wallingford; you're hitting it up rather strong, ain't you? This makes six thousand five hundred, besides two thousand you borrowed from me, that you have spent in three months. You have squandered money since you came here at the rate of three thousand a month, besides all the bills I know you owe, and still you are broke. How is it possible?" "That's my business," retorted Wallingford, and his face reddened with assumed anger. "We are not going to discuss it. The point is that I need money and must have it." The automobile drew up at the door, and J. Rufus, who was in his automobile suit, put on his cap and riding coat. "Where are you going?" "Over to Rayling." Lamb frowned. Rayling was sixty miles away. "And you will not be back until midnight, I suppose." "Hardly." "Why, confound it, man, you can't go!" exclaimed Lamb. "They're waiting for you now over at the machine shop, for further instructions on the covering device." "They'll have to wait!" announced J. Rufus, and stalked out of the door. The thing had been deliberately followed up. Mr. Wallingford had come to the point where he wished his flock to know that he had no financial resources whatever, and that they would have to support him. It was the first time that he had departed from his suavity, and he left Lamb in a panic. He had been gone scarcely more than an hour when David Jasper came in. "Where is Wallingford?" he asked. "Gone out for an automobile trip." "When will he be back?" "Not to-day." Jasper's face was white, but the flush of slow anger was creeping upon his cheeks. "Well, he ought to be; his note is due." "What note?" inquired Lamb, startled. "His note for a thousand dollars that I went security on." "You might just as well renew it, or pay it. I had to renew mine," said Lamb. "Dave, the man is a four-flusher, without a cent to fall back on. I just found it out this morning. Why didn't you tell me that he was borrowing money of you?" "Why didn't you tell me he was borrowing money of you?" retorted his friend. They looked at each other hotly for a moment, and then both laughed. The big man was too much for them to comprehend. "We are both cutting our eye teeth," Lamb decided. "I wonder how many more he's borrowed money from." "Lewis, for one. He got fifteen hundred from him. Lewis told me this morning, up at Kriegler's."