then, it was that Mr. Slumper was doing battle. How much it cost
the poor sinner to pick up the letter, emerge from his closet, and make
his way upstairs to Mr. Blithe's ante-chamber will never be known.
That it reduced his overdraft in Heaven goes without saying. Curiously
enough, the penetration of the barrier erected upon the obnoxious
personality of a managing clerk proved a less formidable business than
Mr. Slumper had expected. The very truculence of the fellow stung the
derelict to a sudden defiance. This was but a flash in the pan--yet
enough for a bully.... After a moment's delay, Mr. Slumper was
admitted into the senior partner's room.

Blithe looked up with a kindly smile.

"Yes, Mr. Slumper? You want to see me?"

All his nervousness returned with such a rush as to make the
ex-financier break into a sweat. But he found his voice somehow, and
fell a-wondering who it was that was speaking his thoughts.

"If you please, sir. It's--it's about this letter."

He laid the sheet upon his employer's table. "I was--thanks to your
goodness--addressing the envelope. I take a great interest in the
work, sir: and I don't, of course, read the letters, except to obtain
the addresses. But the heading of this one, sir, happened to catch my
eye. The name being familiar, I took the liberty of reading the text.
And--and--I'm very loth to step out of my place, sir, but, if you are
seeking the whereabouts of a footman called Lyveden, sir, Anthony
Lyveden, I hardly think there can be two of that name. I mean ..."

The solicitor smiled encouragingly.

"Go on, Mr. Slumper," he said.

Mr. Slumper moistened his lips.

"It will seem strange to you, sir, but he--if it is he--was in my
service last summer." He passed a trembling hand across his mouth.
"He left me right at the last. He was very good to--to us.... And I
used to wonder sometimes what had become of him--he was a gentleman,
you know. And then I saw him again...."

Blithe leaned forward.

"Yes?"

"Last Monday, sir. At Paddington Station. I had the pleasure of
fetching a bag for you, sir, from the cloakroom that afternoon." (It
may be mentioned that this particular commission should have been
executed by the commissionaire attached to the office. As, however, it
was raining at the time, that gentleman and the managing clerk
aforesaid had seen no good reason why "old Slumper" should not
satisfactorily perform the duty and save his betters a wett