“Poor devil,” said Bellair, but not audibly. They had not dared to open the ledger revelations to any one in the office, but had found a man outside who was doubtless familiar with such books, doubtless one who had been deformed in the long, slow twistings of trade. Perhaps this one had children. Children were good for Lot & Company’s most trusted servants. It was well to have a number of children, like Mr. Sproxley--for their wants are many, and a man’s soul cannot breathe in the midst of many wants and small salary. “Are you coming over to the office?” “Yes, I find I have to. Some folks are taking the end Lot and Company gave the newspapers about my leaving. They were very much in a hurry about giving out that newspaper story--with the money in the vaults.” Broadwell regarded him seriously. “I suppose they took the point of view that there could be but one motive for your leaving, without giving notice. Most firms would----” “I wonder if most firms would?” Bellair asked. “Men have lapses other than falling into thievery. At least a firm should look up the facts in the case first. It’s a rather serious thing to charge a man with departure with funds. For instance, the public will glance through the details of such a charge, and miss entirely a denial afterward. Are you under bond?” “No, I don’t handle company funds----” “Suppose you were--and one night you came to the end of your rope--found you couldn’t go back--found it was a life or death matter of your soul, whether you went back or not. Still you had some salary coming and say a thousand dollars’ surety. You took this amount exactly--salary and bond and interest to the dollar, and left a note saying so, in place of the amount; also a note releasing to your firm the amount of the bond and interest, and stating clearly the item of salary--I say, would you expect to find yourself charged with embezzlement in next day’s paper?” Broadwell’s shoulders straightened. “Not in next day’s paper,” he said, with a smile. Bellair did not miss the cut of this. “You think that my case was not like that exactly?” he asked. “I can’t see why a firm would give such a story to the press--unless they uncovered a loss,” Broadwell said slowly. “Lot & Company couldn’t have uncovered a loss without looking in the very place where my note was, which proved there was no loss. Lot & Company couldn’t have collected my bond without proceedings--unless they found my release of it. And the bond was collected.” “Then I can’t see any reason for incriminating--any one,” said Broadwell. “Well, there was a reason--though the facts of my case are exactly as stated. Lot & Company had a reason. I haven’t decided whether it will be necessary to make that known.... But I didn’t bring you here to discuss this affair. I wanted to see _you_----” Just then Mr. Broadwell was paged. A messenger was said to be waiting for him in the lobby. “Send him in,” Broadwell said thoughtlessly.