“There’s one of them Government Inspectors on the first floor, sir,” reported the newcomer, “and she’s a sharp one, I can tell you!  Mr. Gibson wants to know if you’ll come down and see her.  It’s the lavatories, sir; she’s determined to see ’em.”

The change that came over the superintendent’s face at this announcement was astonishing.  His naturally florid features grew as red as a blaze, and he actually increased in size as he swelled with indignation.

“Another of those prying, inquisitive people, hey!” he cried furiously.  “Another spy to look over the store and report to the Board of Health that our plumbing is out of order!  Tell Mr. Gibson I’ll come down at once, and see here, Jackson, tell him to keep her on the first floor.  I’ll send the porter to the basement to open the windows.  They shall not get ahead of me, the impudent creatures.  The firm of Denton, Day & Co. is not going to waste money on new-fangled sanitary improvements just to please a lot of cranks with sensitive noses!”

Mr. Jackson hurried away at once to report to the manager, Mr. Gibson, leaving his employer still fuming and growing angrier every minute.

He was so terrible in his anger that Miss Marvin was glad when she was able to slip through the door at last and pick her way through the group of applicants, who were still patiently waiting.

Mr. Forbes took no notice of her departure, as he was pushing back the papers on his desk, preparatory to closing it.

Suddenly he uttered an exclamation that made Mr. Watkins jump.  He had been looking over a file of letters, but turned quickly to see what was the matter.

“Quick, Watkins, stop her!  Stop her!” cried the superintendent, sharply.  “There were five hundred dollars on my desk ten minutes ago!  It’s gone, every cent of it.  Quick, I tell you.  Stop her!”

“Stop who?”

Mr. Watkins was over to the door before he asked the question.

“Faith Marvin, that girl that was looking for a job.  The money was on the desk while she was here in the office.  She’s stolen it and gone, and to think, I offered her a position!”

Mr. Forbes ran his hands through his hair and glared at Mr. Watkins.

“Well, why don’t you go?” he thundered, as the young man stood stock still, staring at him like a dummy.

Mr. Watkins hurried from the office on his disagreeable errand.  He would have staked his all that the girl had not touched the money.

Mr. Forbes made a hurried search through his desk while the young man was gone.  He was so upset about his loss that he had forgotten the Government Inspector completely.

The five hundred dollars was not to be found and Mr. Forbes was allowing his temper full vent—­through the usual medium of blasphemous profanity.

He was so positive that the girl would be caught at once that he almost gasped when Mr. Watkins came back without her.