“’Yes, I tell you now once for all, that you will find me the most unmerciful enemy that was ever known.  I have too much at stake to let a fool of a man upset me.

“’Do you think that the world will credit the utterances of a nobody as against mine?  Why, you will be lodged in an insane asylum.  I shall have that matter fixed at once.

“’By the way, where are the bonds that I entrusted to your care last week?’

“‘What bonds?’ I demanded hotly.  For even then I saw the purport of the question.

“‘What bonds?  Ah, that will not satisfy a jury.’

“And the banker chuckled at the thought that he had struck upon the proper weapon with which to crush me.

“In the confidence of his own power, and no doubt as a means of avoiding publicity, he thought that the affair had gone to a point where he might appear magnanimous. “‘I do not hold any ill will toward you,’ he continued, ’it is as a friend that I speak.  You are suffering from a sensitive conscience, which is out of place in this age and generation.

“’I can pity you, but of course it would be impossible for me to allow sentiment to rule me in business.

“’We will let this evening pass out of our minds.  You will return to your duties, and in the future let my outside matters be distinct from your work and concern.  But remember, not a word of this to any one.’

“As the last few words were spoken we walked as if by common impulse toward the door.

“I bade him good-night, and the next minute I found myself on the sidewalk.  It was winter, and the cold bracing air soon made me alive to the events that had occurred in such quick succession in the banker’s parlor.

“My mind was in a flurry.  What was I now to do?  Did my silence at parting indicate that I had accepted his offer to return to work as his clerk?

“With a muddled brain I walked on and on until I found I had reached the entrance of the Park at Fifty-ninth street and Fifth avenue.  I entered the park and sank exhausted upon a bench.

“Then I began to review the words of our interview.

“It all became clear to me.  I was in the power of an unscrupulous man.  He could throw me into prison at a word; if this was not to be desired he could have me declared insane and put in an insane asylum.  My word was as naught against his.  So I determined to work in his bank until I could get the evidence that I needed to prove my case.

“I had misjudged my man, for a week later he called me into his private office and informed me that he had no further use for me.

“His bank wrecking scheme was successfully carried out.

“In vain I sought to awaken the interest of the press.  The story I told was not credited.  I lacked documentary proof.  When the crash came the editors realized that I had told the truth.  But it was too late.

“When I began to look for employment, I found that my name had been blacklisted.  Wherever I go, from Maine to California, I am confronted by an agent of my arch enemy.  I cannot even hold a position as a day laborer.