Her movement implied dismissal.  Fred left his seat and stood for a moment, awkwardly fingering his hat.

“I suppose,” he faltered, “you don’t know just how long you’ll be needed here.”

“That depends,” she answered, shrugging.

“Then I’d better get some one in temporarily at the office.”

She nodded.

“Well, good night,” he said.

She kissed him perfunctorily and presently he found himself in the street again, bound for home.

A low fog was whitening the air and the breeze blowing in fresh from the ocean was sharp of tooth.  Fred shivered slightly and buttoned his overcoat.

“I guess she’s still kind of dazed,” he muttered to himself.  But above his perplexity soared a fresh determination.  He would get a woman in his wife’s place in the office and he would keep her there.  It was time Helen stayed home where she belonged.

The next morning he went early to Hilmer’s office.  The cashier took him aside.

“Hilmer has authorized me to sign checks,” he explained.  “But I understand you’re in wrong with the Exchange...  I think I’ll make out checks direct to the different companies.  That’s always the safest thing to do in a jam.”

Fred was too furious even to protest.  “I don’t quite get the idea,” he returned.  “But that’s up to you.  If you want to write thirty-odd checks instead of one, that’s your business, I suppose.”

“Oh, that isn’t any trouble,” returned the man, complacently.

Fred swung back to his office.  Kendrick must have been gossiping with a vengeance!  What would the insurance offices on the street think when they received their checks direct from the Hilmer company?  It was insulting!  And now he would have to trail about collecting his commissions instead of merely withholding them from the remittance that should have been put in his hand.  Still, on second thought, he did feel relieved to know that the matter wouldn’t drag on any longer—­that he wouldn’t have to ask Brauer to hold off with his bank deposit another moment.  He waited until after the noon hour to begin the collection of his commissions.  Hilmer’s cashier had promised to send his messenger around to the different companies before eleven o’clock.

He went into the first office with an assumption of buoyance.  The cashier looked down at him through quizzical spectacles.  Yes, the Hilmer premium was in, but he was very sorry—­he couldn’t pay Starratt & Co. anything.

“Why?” Fred demanded, hotly.

Because the Insurance Broker’s Exchange had sent out a circular asking the companies to withhold any commissions due that firm until certain charges of rebating were investigated further and disproved.