At the door the hansom that had brought him was still waiting.
He gave the driver Grigg and Limpet’s address, and was rapidly whirled up Lilac Tree Road and out of sight.
Birnie went back into his study and sat for a moment in deep thought.
‘I wonder what the deuce he’s up to now!’ he said to himself. ‘Some deep-laid scheme, or he’s altered considerably since the old days. It’s devilish unfortunate his turning up at all. Gurth’s a fool, but this man’s a rogue, and you never know how to be prepared for a rogue.’
It was hard on Birnie, now that he had settled down into a sober, useful, respectable life, that the fellow should turn up again and presume on their old acquaintanceship. And now if he was going to get thick with Egerton again. ‘By Jove!’ exclaimed Birnie, ‘I’ll nip that little game in the bud if I find it necessary.’
The next morning Mr. Brooks received a letter at his residence which very much astonished him.
It was a letter from Messrs. Grigg and Limpet, informing him that they were instructed by Mr. Edward Marston to require the immediate payment of £100 and expenses on his dishonoured acceptance. To avoid further proceedings, Mr. Brooks was requested to remit the amount without delay.
Mr. Brooks went off: to Eden Villa at once.
‘What the dickens does this mean?’ he exclaimed, flinging down the lawyers’ letter on the table.
Marston looked at it and laughed.