"Mary Turner, formerly employed in this store, was to-day
sentenced to prison for three years, having been convicted for
the theft of goods valued at over four hundred dollars. The
management wishes again to draw attention on the part of its
employees to the fact that honesty is always the best policy....
Got that?"

"Yes, sir." The secretary's voice was mechanical, without any
trace of feeling. She was not minded to disturb her employer a
second time this morning by injudicious comment.

"Take it to Smithson," Gilder continued, "and tell him that I
wish him to attend to its being posted according to my directions
at once."

Again, the girl made her formal response in the affirmative, then
left the room.

Gilder brought forth a box of cigars from a drawer of the desk,
opened it and thrust it toward the waiting lawyer, who, however,
shook his head in refusal, and continued to move about the room
rather restlessly. Demarest paid no attention to the other's
invitation to a seat, but the courtesy was perfunctory on
Gilder's part, and he hardly perceived the perturbation of his
caller, for he was occupied in selecting and lighting a cigar
with the care of a connoisseur. Finally, he spoke again, and now
there was an infinite contentment in the rich voice.

"Three years--three years! That ought to be a warning to the rest