beauty of the girl, what struck him at that instant was the expression
of anxiety on her face, whose apparently temporary pallor was
accentuated by an abundance of dark hair. It seemed to him that she
had resolutely set herself a task which she was most reluctant to
perform. From the moment she entered the door her large, dark eyes
were fixed almost appealingly on the cashier, and they beheld nothing
else. Drummond, mentally slow as he usually was, came to the quick
conclusion that this was a supreme moment in her life, on which
perhaps great issues depended. He saw her left hand grasp the corner
of the ledge in front of the cashier with a grip of nervous tension,
as if the support thus attained was necessary to her. Her right hand
trembled slightly as she passed an oblong slip of paper through the
aperture to the calm and indifferent official.

"Will you give me the money for this check?" she asked in a low voice.

The cashier scrutinized the document for some time in silence. The
signature appeared unfamiliar to him.

"One moment, madam," he said quietly, and retired to a desk in the
back part of the bank, where he opened a huge book, turned over some
leaves rapidly, and ran his finger down a page. His dilatory action
seemed to increase the young woman's panic. Her pallor increased, and
she swayed slightly, as if in danger of falling, but brought her right
hand to the assistance of the left, and so steadied herself against
the ledge of the cashier's counter.

"By Jove!" said the Lieutenant to himself, "there's something wrong
here. I wonder what it is. Such a pretty girl, too!"