"Then don't let him draw any more out—do you hear?—without communicating with me." "Mrs. Lane, this deposit is in Gerald's name and has always been under his control. His father never interfered with it, nor have you any right to do so." "Gerald Lane is my stepson. It is my duty to see that he doesn't waste his money, do you hear?" "Whenever Gerald presents a draft, I shall honor it, do you hear?" retorted the cashier. Mrs. Lane's face became red with anger. "You are very impolite," she said. "So are you, Mrs. Lane. You did not even know that Gerald had an account here, and as his father did not interfere with it, I fail to see why you should. Good morning, madam!" Mrs. Lane left the bank in a passion. She was not used to being thwarted and she would have had Mr. Barton discharged from his post if she could have had her way. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER III MRS. LANE'S DISAPPOINTMENT HALF an hour later the two boys were passing the savings bank, when Mr. Barton espied them. Leaving his place, he went to the door and called them. "I have a word to say to you, Gerald," he said. "Does your stepmother know that you have a deposit in our bank?" "Not that I know of. It is nothing to her, anyway, as my father put the money here under my name, and it was left to my control." "Precisely; but I have to tell you that Mrs. Lane does know you have money here." "How did she find out?" asked Gerald, amazed. "She saw you go out of the bank and, suspecting something, came in and inquired." "Well?" "Of course I told her that you had an account here. Then she forbade me to let you draw any of it." "And you agreed to it?" "No, I told her the money was under your control." "Thank you. What did she say then?" "She asked how much money you had here; I declined to inform her." "Mr. Barton, you are a true friend." "I don't mind telling you, Gerald, that I don't like your stepmother, and that I do like you." "I am afraid there will be trouble. What do you advise me to do?" "To draw out all your money except one dollar. Our rules will admit of that." "But what shall I do with it? If I keep it at home she may get hold of it." "Put it in the hands of some friend you can trust." "Will you take charge of it for me?" "Yes, Gerald, if you think you can trust me," said Mr. Barton, with a smile. "There is no one I would trust with more confidence." "Then draw a check for forty-three dollars. That, together with the six dollars you have already drawn, will leave one dollar in the bank." "Good! I will do it." Gerald made out a check for forty-three dollars, and, when received, handed the money to Mr. Barton, who gave him a memorandum of it. "Keep this from your stepmother," he suggested, "or she will ask me for it." "Won't you keep the memorandum yourself, Mr. Barton?" "But that would be hardly businesslike."