he house. It occurred fortunately that his
letter had been allotted to precisely Mr. Vulto for the purpose of
being answered.

"You got my letter?" said Edward Henry, cheerfully, as he sat down at
Mr. Vulto's flat desk on the side opposite from Mr. Vulto.

"We got it, but frankly we cannot make head or tail of it!... _What_
option?" Mr. Vulto's manner was crudely sarcastic.

"_This_ option!" said Edward Henry, drawing papers from his pocket,
and putting down the right paper in front of Mr. Vulto with an
uncompromising slap.

Mr. Vulto picked up the paper with precautions, as if it were a
contagion, and, assuming eyeglasses, perused it with his mouth open.

"We know nothing of this," said Mr. Vulto, and it was as though he had
added: "Therefore this does not exist." He glanced with sufferance at
the window, which offered a close-range view of a whitewashed wall.

"Then you weren't in the confidence of your client?"

"The late Lord Woldo?"

"Yes."

"Pardon me."

"Obviously you weren't in his confidence as regards this particular
matter."

"As you say," said Mr. Vulto, with frigid irony.

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

"Well--nothing." Mr. Vulto removed his eyeglasses and stood up.

"Well, good morning. I'll walk round to _my_ solicitors." Edward Henry
seized the option.

"That will be simpler," said Mr. Vulto. Slossons much preferred to
deal with lawyers than, with laymen, because it increased costs and
vitalized the profession.

At that moment a stout, red-faced and hoary man puffed very
authoritatively into the room.

"Vulto," he cried sharply. "Mr. Wrissell's here. Didn't they tell
you?"

"Yes, Mr. Slosson," answered Vulto, suddenly losing all his sarcastic
quality, and becoming a very junior partner. "I was just engaged
with Mr."--(he paused to glance at his desk)--"Machin, whose singular
letter we received this morning about an alleged option on the lease
of the Chapel site at Piccadilly Circus--the Woldo estate, sir. You
remember, sir?"

"This the man?" inquired Mr. Slosson, ex-president of the Law Society,
with a jerk of the thumb.

Edward Henry said, "This is the man."

"Well," said Mr. Slosson, lifting his chin, and still puffing, "it
would be extremely interesting to hear his story at any rate. I was
just telling Mr. Wrissell about it. Come this way, sir. I've heard
some strange things in my time, but--" He stopped. "Please follow me,
sir," he ordained.

"I'm dashed i