oom, unlocked the door, and ordered a
servant to fetch a hansom-cab. Then he occupied himself by setting some
of the books straight on the shelves, humming a tune to himself
meanwhile, as if nobody else were in the room.

"Mr. Heron," Dino said at last, "I came to propose a compromise. Will
you listen to it yet?"

"No," said Percival, drily. "I'll listen to nothing until I have seen
Brett. If your case is as good as you declare it is, he will convince
me; and then you can talk about compromises. I'm not in the humour for
compromises just now."

He noticed that Dino's eyes were fixed earnestly upon something on his
writing-table. He drew near enough to see that it was a cabinet
photograph of Elizabeth Murray in a brass frame--a likeness which had
just been taken, and which was considered remarkably good. The head and
shoulders only were seen: the stately pose of the head, the slightly
upturned profile, the rippling mass of hair resting on the fine
shoulders, round which a shawl had been loosely draped--these
constituted the chief points of a portrait which some people said was
"idealised," but which, in the opinion of the Herons, only showed
Elizabeth at her best. Percival coolly took up the photograph and
marched away with it to another table, on which he laid it face
downwards. He did not choose to have the Italian impostor scrutinising
Elizabeth Murray's face. Dino understood the action, and liked him for
it better than he had done as yet.

The drive to Messrs. Brett and Grattan's office was accomplished in
perfect silence. The office was just closing, but Mr. Brett--the partner
with whom Percival happened to be acquainted--was there, and received
the visitors very civilly.

"You seem to know this--this gentleman, Mr. Brett?" began Percival,
somewhat stiffly.

"I think I have that pleasure," said Mr. Brett, who was a big,
red-faced, genial-looking man, as much unlike the typical lawyer of the
novel and the stage, as a fox-hunting squire would have been. But Mr.
Brett's reputation was assured. "I think I have that pleasure," he
repeated, rubbing his hands, and looking as though he was enjoying the
interview very much. "I have seen him before once or twice, have I not?
eh, Mr.--er--Mr.----"

"Ah, that is just the point," said Percival. "Will you have the goodness
to tell me the name of this--this person?"

Mr. Brett stopped rubbing his hands, and looked from Dino to Percival,
and back again to Dino. The look