"Oh, come, I know better. If you didn't, who did? Massanet wasn't here."
"That's true, too; but, nevertheless, I didn't tell Mr. Mann."
"You're a—" began the shipping-clerk passionately.
"Here! here! Stop that, Norris!" came a voice from the elevator; and the next instant Mr. Williams stepped into the room. "What do you mean by creating such a disturbance?"
"Dare is trying to put up a job on me," began the shipping-clerk. "He told Mr. Mann that that order for Pittsburgh was sent down O.K. and—"
"And so it was," replied Mr. Williams calmly.
"No, sir; it was—"
"Hold up, Norris; there is no use of further words," said Mr. Williams sharply. "You were discharged half an hour ago, and you had better leave. It was I that told Mr. Mann that the order had gone down all right, because I filled it myself. I suspected you for a long time, and I wanted to find out the truth. Dare and Massanet are entirely innocent in the matter. I have much more information against you—and also a book-dealer who has sold you old books and bought your new ones—but we will let that drop. I have learned that your family is quite a respectable one. For their sake, as well as your own, I advise you to turn over a new leaf. You can go."
For an instant Norris hesitated. Then he turned, and without a word of reply hurried down the stairs.
Richard breathed a sigh of relief when he was gone.