to the upper floors of the warehouse. He skipped across and closed the door behind him quickly and softly. 

 A second later old Joseph Fairbrother entered the room, and, as he did so, George Early found himself in another fix, for instead of passing through the door of the private staircase he had entered a tiny, box-like room which stood beside it. This room had no other outlet, and the venturesome clerk was a prisoner until his master chose to take himself off. 

 The young man selected the keyhole as a means of learning what was happening. It was a large keyhole, and he had ample means of proving that, so far as looks went, "Old Joe" had "one foot in the grave," as had been affirmed. To-day he looked older and more decrepit than usual, and for five minutes he did nothing but sit and look at the fire. 

 At the end of that time somebody else entered the room. George waited anxiously for the other party to come within range, and when he did so it proved to be Parrott. 

 "Sit down, Mr. Parrott," said Joseph Fairbrother; "one moment—hand me a cigar, please, and take one yourself." 

 The head clerk nervously helped himself to a cigar, and followed the lead of his chief as he lit up. 

 For another five minutes the old gentleman gazed abstractedly into the fire, finally shifting his gaze to the face of Parrott, who looked at everything in the room except his employer. 

 "Mr. Parrott," said Old Fairbrother, solemnly, "do you know why I have brought you here?" 

 The head clerk looked up with a start and coughed. He did not know why he had been brought there. 

 "Then I'll tell you," said his master. "I have made my will, Parrott, and I'm going to talk about a little legacy I have left you." 

 Parrott didn't know what to do, so he looked as bright as he could, and cleared his throat, as if to reply. 

 "Wait a minute," said the old gentleman, lifting a finger; "don't you thank me till you know what you're getting. I've had my eye on you, Parrott, for a good many years; I've watched you grow from a boy upwards, and I've noticed your good points and your bad ones. You're not the only one I have watched, but you're the only one I'm going to talk about now. When I have had my little say with you, there are others I shall talk to." 

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