Geary laboured with Hiram Wade all that afternoon.

The old fellow mistrusted him on account of his youth and his inexperience, was unwilling to arrive at any definite conclusion without the sanction of Geary's older associate, and for a long time would listen to nothing less than ten thousand dollars, crying out that his gray hairs had been dishonoured, and striking his palm upon his forehead.

Nothing could move him.

He, also, had his ambitions; it was his dream to own the carpet-cleaning establishment in which he now had but a three-fourths interest.

Summer was coming, the time of year when people were going into the country, leaving their carpets to be cleaned in their absence.