"Five o'clock," decided Perner, at last, "lacking four minutes. I suppose I'm through with the leeches for to-day."
The words were barely uttered when the door opened and a boy entered with bills in one hand and a letter in the other.
"I spoke a little too soon, it seems," Perner concluded, taking the envelop which the boy had extended uncertainly toward each of them in turn.
The envelop contained a brief communication—also a bill. Perner held the latter in his hand while he ran his eye hastily over the former. Then he glanced at the amount of the bill, and Van Dorn, who was watching him, saw that he was rather white. He turned to the boy quite carelessly, however.
"You may leave these. We will attend to them to-morrow." Then, as the collector vanished, he looked up at Van Dorn with, "It's the bill for the advertising. We are to pay before it goes in."
Van Dorn half rose to his feet. Livingstone gasped.
"Listen," said Perner, and he read the letter to them:
"OFFICE OF JACKSON & MARSH, ETC.
"New York, September 2, 1897.
"Publishers of the 'Whole Family,' New York.