thers," he declared, "must settle their own little
differences. After all, it is not our affair."

CHAPTER XII

JARVIS IS JUSTLY DISTURBED

It was fully half-past three before Arnold found himself back in
Tooley Street. He hung up his coat and hat and was preparing to
enter Mr. Weatherley's room when the chief clerk saw him. Mr. Jarvis
had been standing outside, superintending the unloading of several
dray loads of American bacon. He laid his hand upon Arnold's
shoulder.

"One moment, Chetwode," he said. "I want to speak to you out here."

Arnold followed him to a retired part of the warehouse. Mr. Jarvis
leaned against an old desk belonging to one of the porters.

"You are very late, Chetwode," he remarked.

"I am sorry, but I was detained," Arnold answered. "I will explain
it to Mr. Weatherley directly I go in."

Mr. Jarvis coughed.

"Of course," he said, "as you went out with Mrs. Weatherley I
suppose it's none of my business as to your hours, but you must know
that to come back from lunch at half-past three is most irregular,
especially as you are practically junior in the place."

"I quite agree with you," Arnold assented, "but, you see, I really
couldn't help myself to-day. I don't suppose it is likely to happen
again. Is that all that you wanted to speak to me about?"

"Not altogether," Mr. Jarvis admitted. "To tell you the truth," he
went on, confidentially, "I wanted to ask you a question or two."

"Well, look sharp, then," Arnold said, good-humoredly. "I dare say
Mr. Weatherley will be getting impatient, and he probably saw me
come in."

"I want to ask you," Mr. Jarvis began, impressively, "whether you
noticed anything peculiar about the governor's manner this morning?"

"I don't think so--not especially," Arnold replied.

Mr. Jarvis took off his gold-rimmed spectacles and wiped them
carefully.

"Mr. Weatherley," he proceeded, "has always been a gentleman of very
regular habits--he and his father before him. I have been in the
service of the firm for thirty-five years, Mr. Chetwode, so you can
understand that my interest is not merely a business one."

"Quite so," Arnold agreed, glancing at the man by his side with a
momentary curiosity. He had been in Tooley Street for four months,
and even now he was still unused to the close atmosphere, the
pungent smells, the yellow fog which seemed always more or less to
hang about in the streets; the dark, cavernous-looking warehouse
with i