that you are my father's grandson, after a menace like that,
I would take you out and cane you in the presence of your clerks. I
repeat, sir, that I consider you guilty of treachery, falsehood, and
knavery. And if I ever see you at Bays's Club, I will make the same
statement to your acquaintance at the west end of the town. A man of
your baseness ought to be known, sir; and it shall be my business to
make men of honour aware of your character. Mr. Boltby, will you have
the kindness to make out my account? Sir Barnes Newcome, for fear of
consequences that I should deplore, I recommend you to keep a wide berth
of me, sir." And the Colonel twirled his mustachios, and waved his cane
in an ominous manner, and Barnes started back spontaneously out of its
dangerous circle.

What Mr. Boltby's sentiments may have been regarding this extraordinary
scene in which his principal cut so sorry a figure;--whether he narrated
the conversation to other gentlemen connected with the establishment of
Hobson Brothers, or prudently kept it to himself, I cannot say, having
no means of pursuing Mr. B.'s subsequent career. He speedily quitted his
desk at Hobson Brothers; and let us presume that Barnes thought Mr. B.
had old all the other clerks of the avuncular quarrel. That conviction
will make us imagine Barnes still more comfortable. Hobson Newcome no
doubt was rejoiced at Barnes's discomfiture; he had been insolent and
domineering beyond measure of late to his vulgar good-natured uncle,
whereas after the above interview with the Colonel he became very humble
and quiet in his demeanour, and for a long, long time never said a rude
word. Nay, I fear Hobson must have carried an account of the transaction
to Mrs. Hobson and the circle in Bryanstone Square; for Sam Newcome,
now entered at Cambridge, called the Baronet "Barnes" quite familiarly;
asked after Clara and Ethel; and requested a small loan of Barnes.

Of course the story did not get wind at Bays's; of course Tom Eaves
did not know all about it, and say that Sir Barnes had been beaten
black-and-blue. Having been treated very ill by the committee in a
complaint which he made about the Club cookery, Sir Barnes Newcome never
came to Bays's, and at the end of the year took off his name from the
lists of the Club.

Sir Barnes, though a little taken aback in the morning, and not ready
with an impromptu reply to the Colonel and his cane, could not allow the
occurrence to pass without a protest