“He seems to be economical, and I pay him well. That counts for nothing.”
“No, sir, but—some one told me that he had seen him entering a gambling-house on the street.”
“Ha! that would account for his needing a good deal of money. By the way, do you ever enter such places?”
“I have entered out of curiosity, sir,” answered Benton, with a burst of candor. “I wanted to see what they were like.”
“Better keep out of them altogether.”
“No doubt you are right, sir.”
“But about the boy—have you ever seen him take anything from the drawer?”
“I couldn’t be sure of it, but once when he was alone I entered suddenly, and saw him near the drawer. He flushed up and came away in a hurry. I couldn’t swear that he took anything.”
However, Benton’s tone implied that he felt sure of it all the same, and so it impressed Mr. Smithson.
“Did you have any recommendations with Grant?” inquired Benton, in an insinuating tone.