here a moment, a friendly hand was laid upon his
shoulder and Pratt got hold of his hand, standing behind him without a
word, till he turned again and walked back to his seat.

"Don't mind me, Franky, I'm very sore yet."

"I know, I know," said Pratt, feelingly. "It's hard--cursed hard! I'd
say damned hard, only as a straightforward man I object to swearing.
But where's your bag, portmanteau, luggage?"

"Oh, that's all right," said Richard, lighting his pipe, and smoking.

"What do you mean by all right? Where shall I send for them?"

"Send for them?"

"Send for them--yes. You've come to stay?"

"Yes, for an hour or two."

"Dick," cried Pratt, bringing his fist down upon the table with a bang,
"if you are such a sneak as to go and stay anywhere else, I'll cut you."

"My dear Frank, don't be foolish, I've taken lodgings."

"Then give them up."

"Nonsense, man! But listen to me. You don't blame me for giving up?"

"I don't know, Dick--I don't know," said Pratt. "I've lain in bed
ruminating again and again; and one time I say it's noble and manly, and
the next time I call you a fool."

Richard laughed.

"You see, old fellow, I'm a lawyer. I've been educating myself with
cases, and the consequence is that I think cases. Here, then, I say, is
a man in possession of a great estate; somebody tells him what may be a
cock-and-bull tale--like a melodrama at the Vic, or a story in penny
numbers--about a mysterious changeling and the rest of it, and he throws
up at once."

"Yes," said Richard.

"Speaking still as a man fed upon cases I say, then, give me proofs--
papers, documents, something I can tie up with red tape, make abstracts
of, or set a solicitor to prepare a brief from. I'm afraid you've done
wrong, Dick, I am indeed."

"No, you are not, Franky," said Richard, quietly. "Now speak as a man
who has not been getting up cases--speak as the lad who was always ready
to share his tips at school. No, no, Franky; the more I think of it,
the more I feel convinced that I have behaved--as I cannot be a
gentleman--like a man of honour."

"Gentleman--cannot be a gentleman!" said Pratt, puffing out his cheeks,
and threatening his friend with one finger, as if he were in the
witness-box. "What do you mean, sir? Now, be careful. Do you call
Vanleigh a gentleman?"

"Oh yes," said Richard, smiling.

"Then I don't," said Pratt, sharply. "I saw the fellow yesterday, and
he cut me dead."

"Indeed?"