“From Mr. Grahame, Regent’s Park,” he said.
“Oh!” said the solicitor, with a smile. “An answer?”
“Pray be seated. I will give you one immediately.”
The clerk handed to his principal the key of his room; he took it, unlocked the door, and, passing in, closed it after him.
Chewkle sat and waited for the _dènouèment_, as if he was engaged counting the letters in the printed notices of sittings in term, stuck up over the fireplace.
Presently a bell rang, and the clerk entered the room, closing the door after him, Chewkle still reading the printed paper. Some time elapsed.
“Somethin’s happened, shouldn’t wonder,” muttered Chewkle, still staring at the printed bill.
By and by the clerk made his appearance, and said o Chewkle--
He led the way into the inner apartment, and Chewkle saw the solicitor with a flushed face and excited countenance, going through the papers in the box with the name of Grahame painted upon it.
“Your name is Chewkle, I believe,” said the solicitor, as Chewkle approached him.
“That is my name, and no other, sir,” he replied. “Hem! You were sent hither for a deed by Mr. Grahame--eh?” inquired the lawyer.
“A deed, sir--why, he said ’twas to be a paper packet,” returned Chewkle.
“Yes--yes. Do you know what the paper was about?”
“Nor why Mr. Grahame is so anxious to have it?”
“Um!--very odd--very remarkable, indeed.”
“Mr. Scathe must have got it, or put it somewhere,” suggested the clerk.
“I can furnish no other solution of the mystery,” answered the principal in the same tone. “But if that is the case, Mr. Scathe is very much to blame, and will not fail, to be made acquainted with my opinion to that effect.” Then raising his voice, he addressed Chewkle. “Be good enough to tell Mr. Grahame that I will send the deed up to him by one of my clerks.”
“He told me to say, sir, that he couldn’t wait for that, so I was to bring it with me.”
“He could not wait for _that!_ What do you mean?”
“Well, sir, I s’pose he thought you might be busy and would put off sending the packet to him until it suited your convenience.”
“Ah! I see--um! Well, deliver the message I have given you.”
“Return to Mr. Grahame, my man, and say I will send it up to--him--by--my--clerk!” exclaimed the solicitor, speaking, under increasing irritation, with marked emphasis.