ence by which thousands of pounds
change hands in due course of post. And it's another thing to take down
the gibberish of a maundering mad monster who ought to be kept in a
cage. Your good father, Valeria, would never have asked me to do that."

"Forgive me, Benjamin; I must really ask you to do it. You may be of
the greatest possible use to me. Come, give way this once, dear, for my
sake."

Benjamin looked down again at his plate, with a rueful resignation which
told me that I had carried my point.

"I have been tied to her apron-string all my life," I heard him grumble
to himself; "and it's too late in the day to get loose from her how." He
looked up again at me. "I thought I had retired from business," he said;
"but it seems I must turn clerk again. Well? What is the new stroke of
work that's expected from me this time?"

The cab was announced to be waiting for us at the gate as he asked the
question. I rose and took his arm, and gave him a grateful kiss on his
rosy old cheek.

"Only two things," I said. "Sit down behind Mr. Dexter's chair, so that
he can't see you. But take care to place yourself, at the same time, so
that you can see me."

"The less I see of Mr. Dexter the better I shall be pleased," growled
Benjamin. "What am I to do after I have taken my place behind him?"

"You are to wait until I make you a sign; and when you see it you are to
begin writing down in your note-book what Mr. Dexter is saying--and you
are to go on until I make another sign, which means, Leave off!"

"Well?" said Benjamin, "what's the sign for Begin? and what's the sign
for Leave off?"

I was not quite prepared with an answer to this. I asked him to help me
with a hint. No! Benjamin would take no active part in the matter. He
was resigned to be employed in the capacity of passive instrument--and
there all concession ended, so far as he was concerned.

Left to my own resources, I found it no easy matter to invent a
telegraphic system which should sufficiently inform Benjamin, without
awakening Dexter's quick suspicion. I looked into the glass to see if I
could find the necessary suggestion in anything that I wore. My earrings
supplied me with the idea of which I was in search.

"I shall take care to sit in an arm-chair," I said. "When you see me
rest my elbow on the chair, and lift my hand to my earring, as if I were
playing with it--write down what he says; and go on until--well, suppose
we say, until you hear me move