“What did he say to that?”
“Called me an old fool again much stronger, sir. Most ungentlemanly—used words, sir, that he must have picked up on the beach.”
“I hardly like to trouble him directly he is back; but would you mind sending up to Mr Luke Vine, with my compliments, and asking him to come here.”
“Send at once, sir?”
“At once.”
“Perhaps before I leave the office, sir, I might as well call your attention to a communication received this morning.”
Van Heldre looked inquiringly at his old clerk.
“It’s rather curious, sir,” he said, handing a letter which he had been keeping back as a sort of bonne bouche for the last piece of business transacted that morning.
“Never presented yet?” said Van Heldre, nodding his head slowly.
“They must have known I stopped the notes directly,” said Crampton with a self-satisfied smile.