your
impertinence?"

"Kicked _me_,--kicked _me_, sir!" cried the other, while his face became
purple with passion.

"Yes," resumed Tony, mildly; "for let me mention it to you in
confidence, it's the last thing I mean to do before I leave London."

"We 'll see about this, sir, at once," cried the porter, who rushed
through the inner door, and tore upstairs like a madman. Tony meanwhile
brushed some dust off his coat with a stray clothes-brush near, and was
turning to leave the spot, when Skeffington came hurriedly towards him,
trying to smother a fit of laughter that would not be repressed.

"What's all this, Butler?" said he. "Here's the whole office in
commotion. Willis is up with the chief clerk and old Brand telling them
that you drew a revolver and threatened his life, and swore if you had
n't an answer by tomorrow at twelve, you'd blow Sir Harry's brains out."

"It's somewhat exaggerated. I had no revolver, and never had one. I
don't intend any violence beyond kicking that fellow, and I 'll not do
even that if he can manage to be commonly civil."

"The Chief wishes to see this gentleman upstairs for a moment," said a
pale, sickly youth to Skeffington.

"Don't get flurried. Be cool, Butler, and say nothing that can
irritate,--mind that," whispered Skeffington, and stole away.

Butler was introduced into a spacious room, partly office, partly
library, at the fireplace of which stood two men, a short and a shorter.
They were wonderfully alike in externals, being each heavy-looking
white-complexioned serious men, with a sort of dreary severity of
aspect, as if the spirit of domination had already begun to weigh down
even themselves.

"We have been informed," began the shorter of the two, in a slow,
deliberate voice, "that you have grossly outraged one of the inferior
officers of this department; and although the case is one which demands,
and shall have, the attention of the police authorities, we have sent
for you--Mr. Brand and I--to express our indignation,--eh, Brand?" added
he, in a whisper.

"Certainly, our indignation," chimed in the other.

"And aware, as we are," resumed the Chief, "that you are an applicant
for employment under this department, to convey to you the assurance
that such conduct as you have been guilty of totally debars
you--excludes you--"

"Yes, excludes you," chimed in Brand.

"From the most remote prospect of an appointment!" said the first,
taking up a book, and throwing it