James Brandon looked in a ghastly way, which made his sickly face seem
agonised, and he slowly drew out his purse and handed his son the money.

"When will you start?" he said.

"Now, directly," said Sam, rising from his chair; and his father's
countenance brightened.

"Hah!" he exclaimed, "that's very prompt and business-like of you, Sam.
You'll be careful though." And he whispered some instructions.

"You leave me alone for that, dad," said Sam. "I know what I'm about."

As he spoke he rose quickly from his chair, gave his father a short nod,
and opened the door, to find himself face to face with Pringle, whose
hand was raised.

"Oh!" cried the clerk, starting. "Beg pardon, sir, I was just going to
knock."

"What is it?" cried James Brandon angrily, and turning pale in dread
lest the clerk should have heard anything which had passed.

"These deeds, sir--finished the copying," said the man quietly, and with
a look of surprise that his employer should have asked him what he
wanted.

"Oh yes; put them down," said Brandon hastily.

"What shall I go on with next?"

"The letters I told you about last night."

"Cert'ny, sir, of course," said Pringle; and he hurried out of the room,
leaving father and son staring at each other across the table.

"Think he heard, Sam?" said James Brandon, looking more ghastly than
ever.

"No, not he. Couldn't have heard more than a word or two. He daren't
listen."

"Think not, Sam?"

"Sure of it, dad. There, I'll be off now."

"Yes, do; and pray be careful. One moment, Sam: your uncle is not out
with you?"

"Which means he is with you," said Sam, smiling.

"Yes, my boy, a little. We don't quite agree about--about a little
matter; but he would be friendly to you. So don't you think you had
better go down as a visitor?"

"No, father, I don't," said Sam shortly; and he went out at once.

"Gov'nor must have made a terrible mess of it, or he wouldn't be in such
a stew," said Sam to himself, as he went thoughtfully away, and came to
the conclusion that the best thing he could do would be to have a
mouthful of something.

The mouthful took the form of a good dinner at a restaurant, and over
this he sat thinking out his proceedings in a very cool, matter-of-fact
way, till he thought it was time to make a commencement, when he
summoned the waiter, and asked for the railway time-table. Then, after
picking out a suitable train, he paid his bill with one of his f