CHAPTER XXXIV.
MR. FORBES REACHES A DECISION.
Early the next morning Mr. Denton was in his office. He was almost the first person at the store nowadays, and, as far as he could, he looked after every detail of business.
At half-past eight the sample room was thronged with drummers, and each buyer was carefully inspecting the goods which he intended ordering for his special department.
More than once Mr. Denton interrupted some low conversation where he felt sure that a deal was being made which could not be adjusted to his newly awakened conscience.
Then came the opening of the morning mail. He had always intrusted this to others; now he gave it personal supervision.
Quite frequently he intercepted letters that he did not understand until he had investigated closely, with the aid of a detective, but in each instance the wrong-doer was treated with mercy, he was reasoned with and cautioned, a repetition would mean discharge on the instant.
Thus, almost daily he found fresh evidences of dishonesty, either in the firm's dealing with manufacturers or customers, or some treachery of employees, whose opportunity came to them in the form of mail orders.
Goods were ordered in this way frequently which could not be supplied, and an inferior grade was almost invariably substituted. When this was done the "mail order clerk's" methods were simple—either he or the firm were profiters through the transaction.
Mr. Denton finally thought out the solution of this unpleasant matter, and on this particular morning he summoned the advertising manager for the firm to his office.
Picking up a daily paper, he pointed to one of their attractive "ads."
"Bring me a sample of these goods, Green," he said, a little sternly; "you can get them of Billings, the buyer in that department."
"Oh, that's only a blind, sir," was the startling answer, "Mr. Billings has some old goods that he is trying to work off. They are not quite up to the mark, but that 'ad' will sell them."
"Do you mean by that, Green, that we are misrepresenting our goods?" asked Mr. Denton; "or, in other words, that we are advertising one grade of goods and selling another?"
"That's about it," said the manager, looking a little puzzled, "but it's nothing new, sir; we've always done it!"
Mr. Denton looked at him for a moment before he spoke. He could not censure him for what they had "always" done, neither could he blame the man for his own previous indifference on the subject.
"Don't do it again, Green," he said very sadly, "and send Mr. Billings to me the minute you see him."
As Mr. Green went out Mr. Denton groaned aloud: "Would he ever get to the end of his own dishonesty, or was he to be confronted daily by such contemptible trickery?"
Just once he tried to justify his past methods, but with a sneer of scorn he put such thoughts from him.
As he sat in deep meditation the door opened again. He looked up, and saw that it was Mr. Forbes who had entered.
"I am glad to see you," said Mr. Denton, quickly, "and I hope you are feeling entirely recovered."
Mr. Forbes bowed slightly, as he dropped into a chair.
"Mr. Forbes," said Mr. Denton, "I am ashamed of myself! I never knew until to-day that I was such a scoundrel!"
He pointed to the paper that he still held in his hand, and in a very few words repeated his late conversation.
"That is necessary in business," said Mr. Forbes shortly, "and it is, to say the least, peculiar that you shouldn't know it!"
"Well, it's an infamous trick!" was Mr. Denton's rejoinder. "Just think of the poor people whom we have defrauded in that manner!"
"I prefer to think of the dollars it has brought into our pockets," said Mr. Forbes sullenly, "and now that we are on the subject, I may as well say, Mr. Denton, that I am sick and tired of this whole idiotic business!"
"Do you wish to sell out?"
Mr. Denton spoke calmly. "If so, name your price while I have the money to pay you."
"Oh, you do expect to fail, then? You still have sense enough for that!" said Mr. Forbes quickly. "Then, why not give up your fad at once and run the business properly?"
"Do you mean as we have been running it?" asked Mr. Denton, with a sharp glance at him.
"Certainly, with a few modifications, perhaps," was the equally sharp answer.
"Never!"
Mr. Denton's voice rang out like the blast of a trumpet.
"Go back to such infamous practices? Never!"
"Very well, then," said Mr. Forbes, with sudden anger in his voice, "I do wish to sell out! What will you give me for my interest?"
Mr. Denton wheeled around, and looked at him eagerly.
"I had hoped you would see things differently," he said at last. "I thought that perhaps you would appreciate my desire, which is to make myself more worthy of the God that made me."
Mr. Forbes shifted uneasily, and finally rose from his chair. He was plainly disturbed over the situation.
"I do appreciate your efforts, and I honor them, in a way," he said slowly, "but I have not the courage to make such a sacrifice myself, and I very much doubt if such a sacrifice is demanded. A proper observance of religion is enough; a man need not crucify his worldly ambitions in order to be worthy of heaven."
"'Let him take up his cross and follow Me,'" quoted Mr. Denton. "My cross is to do exactly as I am doing. It is not easy to bear, but I am happy in bearing it."
"But where will it lead to?" asked Mr. Forbes eagerly. "What proof have you that your reward will come? This may be a delusion that you are following."
"I am willing to risk it," said Mr. Denton, solemnly. "It is the best a man can do to follow his conscience."
"But there are duties to one's family that must be considered," urged Mr. Forbes. "A man cannot rightfully ignore the fact that he is of the earth, earthy, and that there is something tangible needed before we soar into the mysteries."
"He must ignore nothing," said Mr. Denton, gravely, "but, as I said before, he must follow his conscience."
"Well, I should like to stay with you, but I cannot do it," said Mr. Forbes, "for, while I sympathize with your feelings in many respects, yet I cannot indorse your unbusiness-like actions. If you think my interest here is worth fifty thousand dollars, you can give me that amount, and I will go—then you will be free to spend your fortune according to any freak of your fancy."
"You are more just in your dealings than I expected," said Mr. Denton, flushing a little. "After my experience with Mr. Day, I did not look for any mercy."
"Oh, I have a conscience, too," said Mr. Forbes, grimly, "and while I did not know it until lately, it has made me very uncomfortable, I can assure you."
There was a genuine ring in his voice as he spoke, and as Mr. Denton detected it, he rose and placed his hand upon his shoulder.
"Better stay with me, brother, and let us work together," he said gently. "In the vineyard of the Master there can be no unrewarded labor."
Mr. Forbes shook his head and turned away.
"We can attend to the legal details some other time," he said briefly. "You are busy to-day, so I will not detain you."
Mr. Denton sat down at his desk again, and as the door closed behind his partner he bowed his head upon his bosom.
"Alone and yet not alone," he whispered softly. "God grant me strength to do my duty, and if my lot is failure, let me accept it bravely. It is all a man can do. He must follow his conscience."
The door opened again, and Faith Marvin entered. She had her hat on, and was ready for the visit to Maggie Brady.
"I wonder what she wishes to see me for?" said her employer, musingly. "Is she desirous of upbraiding me, do you think, Miss Marvin?"
"Why should she upbraid you?" asked Faith, very soberly. "You certainly are not to blame for the actions of your son, and as for her arrest, you simply had to do it."
"She may say that I should have protected her from him," he answered. "Some way I blame myself continually in that particular direction."
"A girl should be able to protect herself," said Faith sternly. "I can't quite understand such weakness in women, unless it is, as poor Miss Jennings used to say, 'the iniquities of the fathers visited upon generations of the innocent.'"
"I believe that fully," said Mr. Denton with a sigh. "It is one reason why I am merciful in my own boy's case—my sins have been perpetuated! Can I ever efface them?"
They left the building together, going out of one of the side doors. Just as they reached the sidewalk a handsome carriage drew up before the entrance.
"Why, that is my own carriage!" exclaimed Mr. Denton quickly.
The next instant James Denton sprang from the carriage and came face to face with Faith and his father.