The next morning he took a half dozen names of Brauer’s customers at random from the ledger and he made out bills for their premiums.  Practically all of Brauer’s business was fire insurance, so Fred had typical cases for his test.  The first man he called on produced a receipt from Brauer for the premium paid on the very day the policy was issued.  The second man protested that he had paid Brauer only the day before.  The third man stated brusquely that he had placed his business through Brauer and he was the man he intended to settle with.  The fourth was noncommittal, but it was the fifth client who produced the straw that betrayed the direction of the wind.

“I want to see Brauer,” the man said.  “He promised to do something for me.”

The sixth customer was even more direct.

“There’s something to come off the premium,” he said.  “Brauer knows.”

Fred did not wait for Brauer to come into the office—­he went and took him to lunch instead, where he could prod him away from Helen’s sight and hearing.

“I’m surprised at you, Brauer,” Starratt broke out suddenly, once they were seated at Grover’s and had given the girl their order.

“Over what?” Brauer’s face clouded craftily.

“Why do you go about collecting premiums and holding them back from the office?...  That isn’t sound business tactics.”

Brauer’s sharp teeth glistened savagely in spite of his weak and bloodless mouth.  “What have you been doing ... bothering my people?  I’ll trouble you to let me attend to my own clients in future.  Those premiums aren’t due for a good six weeks yet.  When they are I’ll turn them in.”

Fred cooled a little in the face of Brauer’s vehemence.  “Oh, come now, what’s the use of talking like that?  I’m not intending to bother your customers, but there are some things due me...  My name is on every one of those policies.  Therefore I ought to know when they are paid and anything else about the business that concerns me.  You know as well as I do what is reasonable and just.  Suppose you were taken ill.  It doesn’t look right for a firm to go about making attempts to collect premiums that have been paid.”

“Well ... you’re pretty previous, Starratt, dogging folks in March for money that isn’t due until May,” Brauer grumbled back.  “What’s the idea, anyway?”

Starratt leaned forward.  “Just this, Brauer.  I heard some ugly gossip yesterday, and I wanted to find out if it had any justification.  It seems Kendrick is after us.  He’s going to try and get us on a rebating charge.  I saw six of your people ... and I’m reasonably sure that two out of that six have been promised a rake-off...  Do you call that fair to me?”

“That’s a lie!” Brauer broke out, too emphatically.

“I doubt it!” Starratt replied, coldly.  “But that’s neither here nor there.  What’s done is done.  But I don’t want any more of it.  I’m playing a square game.  I was ready to throw Hilmer overboard rather than compromise, and I’ll—­”