“Five hundred pounds on the credit side, per the cheque I wrote for Mr Luke Vine—why, what’s this?”
“Ah! that’s what you may well say, sir. Refused to take the money, sir. I’m sure I’m not so eccentric as that.”
“But you never mentioned it, Crampton?”
“Yes, I did, sir, with my pen. There it is in black and white. Better and plainer than sounding words; and besides, you weren’t here.”
“But this is absurd, Crampton.”
“That’s what I told him, sir.”
“Well, what did he say?”
“That I was an old fool, sir.”
“Tut—tut—tut!” ejaculated Van Heldre; “but he must be paid. I can’t let him lose the money.”
“What I told him, sir. I said we couldn’t let him lose the money.”