ect of
Mrs. Raritan's whereabouts, and from his tone it was apparent that he
cared less. There is, however, an emollient in courtesy which has
softened greater oafs than he, and that emollient Tristrem possessed.
There was in his manner a penetrating and pervasive refinement, and at
the gruffness with which he was received there came to his face an
expression of such perplexity that the secretary, disarmed in spite of
himself, turned from his busy idleness and told Tristrem that if Mrs.
Raritan had not left her address with him she must certainly have given
it to the lawyer who held the power of attorney to collect the rents and
profits of her estate. The name of that lawyer was Meggs, and his office
was in the Mills Building.

In the Mills Building Tristrem's success was little better. Mr. Meggs,
the managing clerk announced, had left town an hour before and would not
return until Monday. However, if there was anything _he_ could do, he
was entirely at Tristrem's disposal. And then Tristrem explained his
errand anew, adding that he sailed on the morrow, and that it was
important for him to have Mrs. Raritan's address before he left. The
clerk regretted, but he did not know it. Could not Mr. Meggs send it to
him?

"He might cable it, might he not?" Tristrem suggested. And as this plan
seemed feasible, he gave the clerk a card with a London address scrawled
on it, and therewith some coin. "I should be extremely indebted if you
would beg Mr. Meggs to send me the address at once," he added; and the
clerk, who had read the name on the card and knew it to be that of the
claimant and renouncer of a great estate, assured him that Mr. Meggs
would take great pleasure in so doing.

After that there was nothing for Tristrem to do but to return to his
grandfather's house and complete his preparations. He dined with Mr. Van
Norden that evening, and a very pleasant dinner it was. Together they
talked of those matters and memories that were most congenial to them;
Mr. Van Norden looking steadily in the past, and Tristrem straight into
the future. And at last, at midnight, when the carriage came to take
Tristrem to the wharf--for the ship was to sail at so early an hour in
the morning that it was deemed expedient for the passengers to sleep on
board--as Tristrem took leave of his grandfather, "Bring her back soon,"
the old gentleman said, "bring her back as soon as you can. And,
Tristrem, you must take this to her once more, with an