ll tell you as
clearly as I can.

You remember that in my last I explained to you how restive I had been
getting at home, and how my idiotic mistake had annoyed my father and
had made my position here very uncomfortable. Then I mentioned, I think,
that I had received a letter from Christie & Howden, the lawyers. Well,
I brushed up my Sunday hat, and my mother stood on a chair and landed me
twice on the ear with a clothes brush, under the impression that she
was making the collar of my overcoat look more presentable. With which
accolade out I sallied into the world, the dear soul standing on the
steps, peering after me and waving me success.

Well, I was in considerable trepidation when I reached the office, for I
am a much more nervous person than any of my friends will ever credit
me with being. However, I was shown in at once to Mr. James Christie,
a wiry, sharp, thin-lipped kind of man, with an abrupt manner, and
that sort of Scotch precision of speech which gives the impression of
clearness of thought behind it.

"I understand from Professor Maxwell that you have been looking about
for an opening, Mr. Munro," said he.

Maxwell had said that he would give me a hand if he could; but you
remember that he had a reputation for giving such promises rather
easily. I speak of a man as I find him, and to me he has been an
excellent friend.

"I should be very happy to hear of any opening," said I.

"Of your medical qualifications there is no need to speak," he went
on, running his eyes all over me in the most questioning way. "Your
Bachelorship of Medicine will answer for that. But Professor Maxwell
thought you peculiarly fitted for this vacancy for physical reasons. May
I ask you what your weight is?"

"Fourteen stone."

"And you stand, I should judge, about six feet high?"

"Precisely."

"Accustomed too, as I gather, to muscular exercise of every kind. Well,
there can be no question that you are the very man for the post, and I
shall be very happy to recommend you to Lord Saltire."

"You forget," said I, "that I have not yet heard what the position is,
or the terms which you offer."

He began to laugh at that. "It was a little precipitate on my part,"
said he; "but I do not think that we are likely to quarrel as to
position or terms. You may have heard perhaps of the sad misfortune of
our client, Lord Saltire? Not? To put it briefly then, his son, the Hon.
James Derwent, the heir to the estates and the onl