Love and the Ironmonger

The Project Gutenberg eBook, Love and the Ironmonger, by F. J. (Frederick John) Randall
BY F. J. RANDALL
LONDON: JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD NEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANY. MCMVIII
WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND BECCLES.
LOVE AND THE IRONMONGER
A PLAIN TALE OF UPPER THAMES STREET

The offices of Fairbrother and Co. were in the full swing of business when George Early sauntered in and took his accustomed place at a small desk.
What time do you call this? asked the head clerk severely, looking up from a ledger.
George looked at his watch.
Half-past eight, he said intelligently; that makes me half an hour late, doesn't it? Matter of fact, old chap, I——
That'll do, said the head clerk; just you keep your place. And keep your time, too, he added warningly, or else there'll be a vacancy in this office.