a short time, you know, while Hopkins was ill. I forget his name."

"His name was Druitt, sir. We employed a man of the name of Gorton to do
some outdoor business for us at times," continued the managing clerk,
turning his eyes on the barrister; "but not lately."

"What sort of business?"

"Serving writs."

"Gorton is not Gordon," remarked Mr. Kedge, with legal acumen. "By the
way, Kimberly, I have heard nothing of Gorton lately. What has become of
him?"

"I have not the least idea, sir. We parted in a huff, so he wouldn't
perhaps be likely to come in my way again. Some business that he
mismanaged, if you remember, sir, down at Calne."

"When he arrested one man for another," laughed the lawyer, "and got
entangled in a coroner's inquest, and I don't know what all."

Mr. Carr had pricked up his ears, scarcely daring to breathe. But his
manner was careless to a degree.

"The man he arrested being Lord Hartledon; the man he ought to have
arrested being the Honourable Percival Elster," he interposed, laughing.

"What! do you know about it?" cried the lawyer.

"I remember hearing of it; I was intimate with Mr. Elster at the time."

"He has since become Lord Hartledon."

"Yes. But about this Gorton! I should not be in the least surprised if he
is the man I am inquiring for. Can you describe him to me, Mr. Kimberly?"

"He is a short, slight man, under thirty, with red hair and whiskers."

Mr. Carr nodded.

"Light hair with a reddish tinge it has been described to me. Do you
happen to be at all acquainted with his antecedents?"

"Not I; I know nothing about, the man," said Mr. Kedge. "Kimberly does,
perhaps."

"No, sir," dissented Kimberly. "He had been to Australia, I believe; and
that's all I know about him."

"It is the same man," said Mr. Carr, quietly. "And if you can tell me
anything about him," he continued, turning to the older man, "I shall be
exceedingly obliged to you. To begin with--when did you first know him?"

But at this juncture an interruption occurred. Hopkins the discourteous
came in with a card, which he presented to his principal. The gentleman
was waiting to see Mr. Kedge. Two more clients were also waiting, he
added, Thomas Carr rose, and the end of it was that he went with Mr.
Kimberly to his own room.

"It's Carr of the Inner Temple," whispered Mr. Kedge in his clerk's ear.

"Oh, I know him, sir."

"All right. If you can help him, do so."

"I first knew Gorton about fifteen