Early the following week Darrell was established in his new office. The

building containing the offices of the firm of Underwood & Walcott had,

as Mr. Underwood informed Darrell, been formerly occupied by one of the

leading banks of Ophir, and was situated on the corner of two of its

principal streets. Of the three handsome private offices in the rear Mr.

Underwood occupied the one immediately adjoining the general offices;

the next, separated from the first by a narrow entrance way, had been

appropriated by Mr. Walcott, while the third, communicating with the

second and opening directly upon the street, was now fitted up for

Darrell's occupancy.

The carpets and much of the original furnishing of

the rooms still remained, but in the preparation of Darrell's room Kate

Underwood and her aunt made numerous trips in their carriage between the

offices and The Pines, with the result that when Darrell took possession

many changes had been effected. Heavy curtains separated that portion of

the room in which the laboratory work was to be done from that to be

used as a study, and to the latter there had been added a rug or two, a

bookcase in which Darrell could arrange his small library of scientific

works, a cabinet of mineralogical specimens, and a pair of paintings

intended to conceal some of Time's ravages on the once finely decorated

walls, while palms and blooming plants transformed the large plate-glass

windows into bowers of fragrance and beauty, at the same time forming a

screen from the too inquisitive eyes of passers-by.

Just as Darrell was completing the arrangement of his effects, Mr.

Underwood and his partner sauntered into the room from their apartments.

Within a few feet of the door Mr. Underwood came to a stop, his hands

deep in his trousers pockets, his square chin thrust aggressively

forward, while, with a face unreadable as granite, his keen eyes scanned

every detail in the room. Mr. Walcott, on the contrary, made the entire

circuit of the room, his hands carelessly clasped behind him, his head

thrown well back, his every step characterized by a graceful, undulatory

motion, like the movements of the feline tribe.

"H'm!" was Mr. Underwood's sole comment when he had finished his survey

of the room.

Mr. Walcott turned towards his partner with a smile. "Mr. Darrell is

evidently a prime favorite with the ladies," he remarked, pleasantly.

"Well, they don't want to try any of their prime favorite business on

me," retorted Mr. Underwood, as he slowly turned and left the room.

Both young men laughed, and Walcott, with an easy, nonchalant air,

seated himself near Darrell.




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