"Herring, take him away. You should have known better than to bring him in," stormed the president.
"I only did it because I knew he was bright and needed work," apologized the cashier.
"Well, he'll have to go among strangers, as his father did, if he wants to get any. No one will have him who knows him," exclaimed the bank president, as Fred, scarlet with shame, went from the office.
It so chanced that the cashier had left the door of the president's room open and during the scene Mrs. Baxter had entered the bank.
Hearing the loud voice of the president, she had listened and could he have seen the expression that settled on her face, Mr. Montgomery would have been alarmed.
Remaining until she was satisfied the interview was over, she told the clerk she had merely called on some business with the president, and, as he was apparently engaged, she would call again.
But instead, after making the necessary arrangements to leave her daughters with the Vinings, she telegraphed her attorney to meet her in Manchester, and took the first train for that city.
CHAPTER XXIII
FRED AT WORK
Deeply humiliated, Fred felt like going home, then threw back his head and gritted his teeth.