"I certainly should if I were in your place," Gresham hastily
assured him with such heartiness as he could assume. "I am delighted
to learn that the rumor I heard of Mr. Gamble's insolvency is
unfounded."

"By the way, where did you hear the rumor?" inquired Courtney with a
frown.

"Really, I've forgotten," Gresham confessed.

"One should not forget such things if one repeats such rumors,"
Courtney reproved him.

Gresham went away both puzzled and annoyed. It was three o'clock
before he found Collaton; and that featureless young man, whose lack
of visible eyebrows and lashes was a constant annoyance to the
fastidious Gresham, was in a high state of elation.

"Well, we get back your fifteen thousand," he exulted after they
were safely in Gresham's apartments. "Of course Jacobs gets five
thousand for engineering the deal, but that gives us five thousand
apiece. Jacobs was told--about eleven o'clock--that the money was
there."

"Keep my share; but why didn't you send me word?" snarled Gresham.
"I nearly put my foot in it by having a man with whom Gamble is
doing business inquire about him at the Fourth National. In place of
injuring his credit, we've strengthened it."