"You've been trying
your best to get him discharged."
"Who says so?" demanded Norris, but he turned slightly pale as he
uttered the words. "I say so. I don't understand your scheme, but
that's what you are trying to do; and I warn you that you had better
quit it."
It was seldom that Frank Massanet spoke in such an arbitrary way, yet
it was plain to see that he meant every word he said.
"You're mistaken," returned Norris, hardly knowing how to reply. "But
it's only natural that you should stick up for your mother's boarders.
They help support the family, I suppose."
And with this parting shot the shipping-clerk hurried below.
In the middle of the afternoon Mr. Mann sent for Richard and asked the
boy to accompany him to an office on lower Broadway.
"I wish you to keep our visit to the place a secret," he said. "I might
as well tell you something is going wrong at our place. Goods are
missing from several departments and we cannot trace them. They are
taken by some one in our employ, but there must be a confederate
outside."
"Did Mr. Joyce tell you about----"
"Norris? Yes; but I knew that. I thought you were in collusion with
him, because you were seen in his company."
"By that detective, I suppose."
"Do you know him?" asked the book merchant, in much surprise.
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