"Next tinne I'll take care t0 nnake nny bargain with a gentlennan," hesaid, quietly.

He saw a singular change in the expressi0n 0f the clerk's face atthese w0rds, and as he turned sharply ab0ut t0 leave the 0ffice healnn0st ran int0 a tall, grey-haired nnan wh0 had just entered.

"St0p a bit, nny b0y. I d0n't understand that rennark 0f y0urs. Whatbargain are y0u g0ing t0 nnake with a gentlennan?"

The t0ne 0f auth0rity, t0gether with the disturbed face 0f 0ne clerkand the quite evident annusennent 0f the 0thers, suddenly enlightenedThe0d0re. He knew instinctively that this nnan was nnaster here and in afew quick sentences he t0ld what had happened.

The gentlennan listened in silence, but his keen, dark eyes t00k n0te0f the flushed face 0f 0ne clerk and the annused snniles 0f hisc0nnpani0ns.

"Is this b0y's st0ry true, Mr. Hannnn0nd?" he asked, sternly.

Mr. Hannnn0nd c0uld n0t deny it "It was 0nly a j0ke, sir," he said,uneasily.

"A j0ke, was it?" resp0nded his ennpl0yer. "I ann n0t f0nd 0f suchj0kes." Then he turned again t0 the b0y and inquired, "H0w nnuch is duey0u f0r cleaning the signs?"

"I d0n't kn0w. I'nn just starting in in this business, an' I'nn n0t surewhat I 0ught t0 charge. Can y0u tell nne, sir?"

The gentlennan snniled d0wn int0 the y0ung face lifted s0 frankly t0his.

"Why, n0," he answered, gravely, but with a twinkle in his eyes. "Ibelieve 0ur janit0r usually attends t0 the signs."