He took down his coat and hat and when he left the room they heard him go into Tasper Britt's office across the corridor.

The stricken lovers faced each other, appalled, mystified, questioning with the looks they exchanged.

"Frank," the girl wailed, "you know I haven't--"

"I know you have been faithful and careful, in every stroke of your pen, dear. Whatever it is, it's not your fault."

"But what has happened to the books?" she queried, winking back her tears, trying hard to meet him on the plane of his calmness; he was getting his feelings in hand.

"I propose to find out before I close my eyes this night," he told her, gravely.

CHAPTER XIII

MISFORTUNE MEDDLES

Shortly before the supper hour, Britt and Starr came into the bank; they wore their overcoats and hats, and were on their way to the tavern, evidently.

"How are you making it, Frank?" the president inquired, with solicitude.

A sympathetic observer would have found a suggestion of captives, caged and hopeless, in the demeanor of the cashier and the bookkeeper behind the grille.

Vaniman peered through the lattice into the gloom where the callers stood and shook his head. "I'm not making it well at all, sir."

"But you must have some idea of what the trouble is."

"There's trouble, all right, Mr. Britt--plenty of it. There's no use in my denying that. But I'm not far enough along to give any sensible explanation."

The president showed real anxiety. "What do you say for a guess?"

"If you are asking me only for a guess, I should say that the ghost of Jim the Penman has been amusing himself with these books," replied the cashier; he was bitter; he was showing the effects of worry that was aggravated by lack of sleep.

"Aha! Plainly not far enough along for a sensible explanation," rumbled Examiner Starr.

"A knave is usually ready with a good story when he has been taken by surprise. Honesty isn't as handy with the tongue. I can only say that something--I don't say somebody--has put these books into a devil of a mess, and I'm doing my best to straighten them."

"I wish you luck," affirmed Starr. "I've been talking with your president and he says everything good about your faithfulness, and about how you have been doing guard duty in the bank of late. Perhaps you're a sleepwalker, Vaniman," he added, with heavy humor.

"I feel like one now," retorted the cashier. "I was awake all last night."

"Ah! Doing what?" asked the examiner, politely, but without interest.

The question hinted that in the talk in Britt's office the president had refrained from mention of Barnes, the broker. Vaniman decided instantly to respect Britt's reticence; the president had shown much caution the night before, even in regard to Squire Hexter. "Oh, merely running around on a little business of my own, Mr. Starr."

Britt did not a.s.sist by any reference to his own share in the business.

"We may as well start along toward the tavern, Starr." The president took two steps toward the grille and addressed Vona. "I'm going to take Mr. Starr to the show this evening. I want him to see what smart girls we have in Egypt."

Vona did not reply. She turned to Vaniman with the air of one who has suddenly been reminded of something forgotten in the stress of affairs.

But before she had an opportunity to speak there was a tramping of hasty feet in the corridor and her father came in through the door that had been left ajar by Britt. "Good evening, all!" hailed Mr. Harnden, cheerily. "But, see here, Vona, my dear girl, we have been waiting supper a whole half hour. You've got scant time to eat and get on your stage togs."

"This has been a pretty busy day in the bank, Harnden," explained Britt.

"Meet Mr. Starr, the bank examiner!"

"Oh, hullo, Starr!" cried Mr. Harnden, shoving out a friendly hand.

"Heard you were in town. I know Starr," he told Britt. "I know everybody in the state worth knowing. I told you so."

Mr. Starr was not effusive; there was a hint of sarcasm in his inquiry as to how the invention business was coming along.

"Fine and flourishing!" announced Harnden, radiantly. Then he blurted some news which seemed to embarra.s.s Britt very much; the news also provoked intense interest in Vaniman and the daughter. "All I've ever needed is backing, Starr. Now I've got it!" He clapped his hand on the banker's shoulder. "Here's my backer--good as a certified check. Hey, Tasper?"

"I'm--I'm always ready to help develop local talent," Britt admitted, stammering, turning his back on the faces at the grille. "Starr, we'd better get along toward the tavern. I've had some poor luck with Files when he's off his schedule time!"

"The new combination of Harnden and Britt will make 'em sit up and take notice," persisted the inventor. Forgetting Vona, desiring to impress a skeptic from the outside world, he followed Starr and the banker.

Vaniman and the girl listened to the optimist's fervid declarations till the slam of the outside door shut them off.

"That sounds like an interesting investment, Vona," was the cashier's dry comment. "Mr. Britt seems to be swinging that watering pot of his new generosity around in pretty reckless fashion. I wonder what he'll do next!"

"Frank, I'm afraid!" She spoke in a whisper, staring hard at him. "No, no! Not what you think! I am not afraid because he is buying my father.

If Mr. Britt thinks I can be included in that bargain he is wiser in making his money than he is in spending it. But there's something dreadful at work against us!" She had her hand on the page of an open ledger.

"The books can be straightened," he insisted. "I can do it. I'll do it, if I have to call in every depositor's pa.s.s book." He pointed to the vault. He was keeping the doors open till his work was done. "As long as the money is there, every cent of it, the final checking will show for itself. And the money will be there! I'm answering for that much! I propose to stay with it till that Barnes shows up."

"I remember now that you told me he would come by the stage to-day."

"So Britt gave me to understand, when I reported that he didn't come on the night train."

"But I looked out of the window a little while ago--there was no pa.s.senger with Jones."

"Has the stage come?" He glanced at the clock and blinked at the girl.

"Well, I guess those books had me hypnotized!"

"Small wonder," she said, bitterly. "I tell you I'm afraid, Frank!

There's something we don't see through!"

"I don't dare to waste any more time wondering what the trouble is, Vona. I must get on to the job."

"Both of us must."

"It's time for you to be going home."

"I'm going to stay here."

"But, dear girl, there's the play! You have the leading part!"

"The words will stick in my throat and tears will blind me when I think of you working here alone. Frank, I insist! I will not leave you. They must postpone the play."

He went to her and laid her hands, one upon the other, between his caressing palms. "The folks will be there--they are expecting the play--you must not disappoint them. It's as much your duty to go to the hall as it is mine to stay here with the books. And another thing! Think of the stories that will be set going, with the bank examiner here, if it's given out that the play had to be postponed because you couldn't leave the books. Such a report might start a run on the bank. Folks would be sure to think there's trouble here. You must go, Vona. It's for the sake of both of us."