"I am Julian Lorimer," announced Julian, as he entered the presence of the superintendent. "You wrote us a letter, I believe?" "Yes, sir." "In relation to a clerk in our employ?" "Yes. Mr. Benton." "He used to work for your father?" "Yes, sir. He was in father's employ rather more than a year." "He stayed some time, then?" "Yes; father didn't want to discharge him as he had a family." "Very considerate on your father's part, certainly," said Mr. Wilson, in a peculiar tone, in which Julian did not detect the sarcasm. "On the whole, your father did not find him satisfactory? What was the matter? Isn't he a good salesman?" "Pretty fair," answered Julian. "Nothing alarming." "Then what fault did he find with him? I suppose he was honest?" "Yes, so far as we know." "And still your father found him unsatisfactory. There must have been some cause of complaint?" "He was impudent," said Julian. "He felt too large for his position." "Was he impudent to your father?" "No." "To whom, then?" "To me." "Oh, to you. Were you employed in the store?" "No, sir." "Then I don't see how you could have come in contact with him." "I used to go into the store sometimes. That was very natural, as it was my father's store." "And on one of these occasions he was impudent to you?" "Yes, sir." "This is a serious charge. What would you advise me to do? Do you think I ought to discharge him?" "I will only say this, that my father would not have him in the store." "You said in your letter that you did not wish to injure him. If he should be discharged that would certainly be an injury." "Yes, sir, I suppose so," answered Julian, with hesitation. He was puzzled and could not understand what Mr. Wilson was driving at. "I will send for Mr. Benton." When Benton came into the presence of the superintendent, Mr. Wilson said, "Mr. Benton, this boy, Mr. Julian Lorimer, has been bringing charges against you." "I am not surprised to hear it, sir." "He says you did not treat him respectfully when you were in his father's store; that, in short, you were impudent to him." "There is some truth in my not treating him respectfully. He came up to my counter and interfered with my work." "You were aware that he was Mr. Lorimer's son?" "Oh, yes, sir." "And yet you rebuked or snubbed him?" "Yes, sir." "He thinks that a serious matter. He thinks I ought to discharge you. My own feeling is that you treated him just right." Julian looked paralyzed. "And to make up to you for his malicious attempt to injure you, I will raise your salary two dollars a week." "Thank you, sir." "As for you, young man, I don't wish to see you in the store again. James, you may show Mr. Lorimer out." Julian lost no time in getting out of the place. He had never felt so humiliated before. It would be hard to describe his blended rage and mortification. It was certainly aggravating to reflect that he had only succeeded in raising Mr. Benton's salary. CHAPTER XXIV.