don't like to leave you,
Sir Raffle, without saying good-by. I do not suppose we shall meet
again. Of course you must do your duty, and I do not wish you to
think that I have any personal ill-will against you." So saying, he
put out his hand to Sir Raffle as though to take a final farewell.
Sir Raffle looked at him in amazement. He was dressed, as has been
said, in black, and did not look like the John Eames of every day to
whom Sir Raffle was accustomed.

"I don't understand this at all," said Sir Raffle.

"I was afraid that it was only too plain," said John Eames.

"And you must go?"

"Oh, yes;--that's certain. I have pledged myself to go."

"Of course I don't know anything of this matter that is so important
to your family."

"No; you do not," said Johnny.

"Can't you explain it to me then? so that I may have some reason,--if
there is any reason."

Then John told the story of Mr. Crawley,--a considerable portion of
the story; and in his telling of it, I think it probable that he
put more weight upon the necessity of his mission to Italy than it
could have fairly been made to bear. In the course of the narration
Sir Raffle did once contrive to suggest that a lawyer by going to
Florence might do the business at any rate as well as John Eames.
But Johnny denied this. "No, Sir Raffle, it is impossible; quite
impossible," he said. "If you saw the lawyer who is acting in the
matter, Mr. Toogood, who is also my uncle, he would tell you the
same." Sir Raffle had already heard something of the story of Mr
Crawley, and was now willing to accept the sad tragedy of that case
as an excuse for his private secretary's somewhat insubordinate
conduct. "Under the circumstances, Eames, I suppose you must go; but
I think you should have told me all about it before."

"I did not like to trouble you, Sir Raffle, with private business."

"It is always best to tell the whole of a story," said Sir Raffle.
Johnny being quite content with the upshot of the negotiations
accepted this gentle rebuke in silence, and withdrew. On the next day
he appeared again at the office in his ordinary costume, and an idea
crossed Sir Raffle's brain that he had been partly "done" by the
affectation of a costume. "I'll be even with him some day yet," said
Sir Raffle to himself.

"I've got my leave, boys," said Eames when he went out into the room
in which his three friends sat.

"No!" said Cradell.

"But I have," said Johnny.

"You don't mean