"Well, I don't care--I'll love you enough for both of us, so that's all settled. Now promise that you'll sit on this very step and not move 'til I come back." "What for? I must run along." "You promised," she cried, and disappeared up-stairs as fast as her little white legs could carry her. There was nothing to do but wait, yet Allen was not long kept in suspense. Patricia returned with equal speed, carrying her bank in both hands. "There!" she exclaimed, jingling the contents. "You take that and make a lot more with it, and we shall have all the money we want." "But I can't do that," he protested. "Aren't you as smart as Mr. Covington?" "What has he to do with it, Lady Pat?" "He took Alice's money and made a whole lot more with it, and I'm going to tell you how to do it, too." Patricia danced before him on the hall rug, clapping her hands together with joy and excitement. Suddenly she paused in her gyrations, and, placing her mouth close to his ear, she whispered: "Buy some storks from the New York Railroad." Allen jumped to his feet as if he had been struck. "What did you say?" he demanded, seizing the child almost roughly by the wrist; but Patricia attributed his action to excitement and joy equal to her own, so accepted it cheerfully. "That is it," she repeated, firmly. "I'm sure, for I wrote it down just as soon as I heard it. I knew I should need it some time. Storks must be very valuable birds, because Mr. Covington told Alice not to tell; and he made thirty--thousand--dollars for her. Now, you're smarter than Mr. Covington, and you can make a hundred thousand. Will you?" "I'll start right out and see what I can do." Allen tried to keep the child from seeing his excitement. "I haven't time to stop to tell you how naughty it is to listen. If I don't go right now the storks may all be gone, and then of course we couldn't make any money. Good-bye, Lady Pat--I'll try hard, but don't be disappointed if there aren't any left--good-bye." Allen rushed from the house and, hailing a passing taxi, ordered the chauffeur to drive to the office, although it was now nearly six o'clock. XXI With characteristic energy Gorham made good the promise given to Allen to investigate matters at the office, and not many days after his return to his desk he issued a call for a special meeting of the Executive Committee. He looked upon it almost as a weakness to have permitted this boy's unsupported statements to influence him even to this extent, but he justified himself by the knowledge that a confirmation of the loyalty of his associates would give him renewed strength.