The Spectator., 1915-05-07

 that portrait?"
 Frankly never noticed it before" Warrington placed the certified check on the desk. With interest" he said.
 The vice-president cracked it, ran his fingers over his smooth chin, fold ed the check and extended it toward the astonished wanderer.
 We don't want that, Paul. What we wanted was to get you back. There was no other way. Your brother made up the loss the day after you went away. There was no scandal Only few of us in the office knew Never got to the newspapers"
 It was impossible for Warrington to digest this astounding information at once. His mind could only repeat the phrases: No scandal, only a few of us in the office knew, never got to the | newspapers. For ten years he had hidden himself in wildernesses, avoid ed hotels, read no American newspa- pers, never called for mail Oh, monu- mental fooll
 And l could have come home al- most at once!" he said aloud, address ing the crumpled check in his hand rather than the man in the swivel | chair.
 Yes. I have often wondered where | you were, what you were doing. You and your brother were upper-class- men. l never knew Arthur very we'll; but you and I were chummy, after a l fashion. Arthur was a little too book ish for my style. Didn't we use to call you Old Galahad? You were always waloping the bullies and taking the weaker chaps under your wing. To | me, you were the last man in the world for this business. Moreover, l never could understand, nor could fa- ther, how you got it, for you were not an office man. Women and cards, suppose. Father said that you had the making of great engineer, Fierce place, this old town" waving his hand toward the myriad sparkling roofs and towers and spires. Have to be strong and hard-headed to survive it. Built anything since you've been away?" | decade!
 Glad you kept your hand in. I dare say you've seen lot of life To the young man it was an extremely awk- ward interview
 Yes; I've seen life" duly.
 Orient, mostly, I suppose. Your letter about the strike in oil was mighty interesting. Heap of money over there, if they'd only let us smart chaps in to dig it up. Now. old man, l want you to wipe the slate clear of these ten years. We'll call 1t a bad dream. What are your plans for the l future?'
 "Plans?" Warrington looked up blankly. He realized that he had made no plans for the future.
 Yes. What do you intend to do? A man like you wasn't made for idle ness. Look here, Paul; I'm not going to beat about the bush. We've got a whopping big contract from the Chi nese government. and we need man to take charge, man who knows and understands something of the yellow people How about a salary of ten thousand year for two years, to be- | gin in October?'
 Warrington twisted the check Work. rehabilitation.
 Could you trust me?" he asked quietly.
 With anything have in the world | Understand, Paul, there's no philan- | thropic string to this offer. You've pulled through a devil of hole. You're a man. l should not be holding down this chair If couldn't tell a man at a | glance. We were together two months in Peru. I'm familiar with your work Do you want to know whose portrait that is up there? Well. it's General | Chetwood's, the founder of this con cern, the silent partner. The man who knew kings and potentates and told 'em that they needed bridges in | their back yards. This building be- longs to his daughter. She convert ed her stock into granite. About a month ago I received a letter from her. It directly concerned you. It seems she learned through the consul | general at Singapore that you had worked with us. She's like her fla ther. mighty keen judge of human nature. Frankly. this offer comes through her advices. To satisfy your self, you can give us a surety bond for fifty thousand. It's not obligatory. however"
 Elsa Chetwood. She had her fa- ther's eyes. and 1t was this which had drawn his gaze to the portrait. Chet- wood. and Arthur had not known any more than he had. What irony, Ten years wasted for nothing! Warrington laughed aloud. A weak ness seized him. like that of man long gone hungry.
 Buck up. Paul" warned the good Samaritan. All this kind of knocks the wind out of you. 1 know. But what I've offered you is in good faith. Will you take it?"
 "Yes" simply