Page 48 - Fairbrass

enough. There was a soft carpet on the

floor, a pretty paper and some maps and
pictures on the walls, and it was very hand­

somely furnished. The first thing that your
father did was to take me out of his button­

hole and put me 111 a glass of water which
stood on the chimney-piece, and glad enough

T was of a drink after my journey, I can
tell you. Then he lighted another cigar

and opened some letters and read some more
newspapers ; and after that he rang the bell

and when a smart-looking young clerk came
in he told him that he should be out for
about half an hour, and that the young man

was on no account to leave the office during

his absence. After that he went out.’
‘What, without taking you with him ? ’
gasped Fairbrass.

‘Yes; and at first I thought that my
mission was a failure, and that even if I

ever got back to you, 1 should have nothing
to tell you ; but after a bit T began to see

that my being left there was the luckiest
thing in the world, for 1 believe that owing