“Has anybody been in?” he asked.
“Yes,” answered Chester. “A man named James Long.”
A curious expression came into the bookkeeper’s eye.
“Well, did he pay his rent?”
“No; he said he had paid it already.”
“Oh, he did, did he?” sneered the bookkeeper. “In that case, of course he has the receipt.”
“No; he said he had left it here on the table, and did not think of it till some time afterwards.”
“A likely story. He must think I am a fool. Even a boy like you can see through that.”
“He seemed to me like an honest man.”
“Oh, well, you are from the country, and could not be expected to know. We have some sharp swindlers in New York.”