‘He’s not a humbug, Polly,’ cried the child, stamping her little foot. ‘He’s a dear, kind, loving dog. But we forgive you, because we must forgive our enemies. Miss Adrian says so.’
‘Gammon, said the bird; and then suddenly it leapt about the cage, shrieking and swearing so fiercely that Gertie seized Lion by the collar and led him out of the room, offering up a little prayer as she went that Polly might see the error of her ways before she died and was utterly lost.
During Heckett’s illness the lessons had been abandoned, but from time to time Gertie had exchanged greetings with her kind teacher at the door.
When the old man got well enough to be about, he began to go out as usual, and Gertie was delighted to think she could renew her studies and the happy times with Miss Adrian.
One visit, which was paid a few days after Heckett’s renewal of his old habits, was fraught with consequences so serious to all concerned that it will require a chapter to itself.
CHAPTER X.
IN WHICH GRIGG AND LIMPET EXPLAIN.
Time?’ asked Grigg.
‘Eleven,’ said Limpet, looking at his watch.
Grigg was tall and thin. Limpet was short and fat. Admirable lawyers and admirable men; they made admirable partners. Solicitors to dozens of wealthy families, tin boxes, lettered in white, lined the walls of every room. Envious neighbours said that Grigg started in the profession with six dozen of the said boxes, bought cheap at a sale, and that the capital which Limpet brought into the business was a gross more.
Of course, this was merely malice. Doubtless each one of those tin boxes was crammed with deeds relating to millions and millions and millions of money. The statement that Grigg kept his old hats in the one labelled ‘His Grace the Duke of Cheshire,’ and that Limpet junior used the one labelled ‘The Candlestick Makers’ Company’ to keep the back files of a sporting paper from injury, is on a par with the other malicious assertions above referred to.