Limpet junior doesn’t trouble the firm much. He used to come down occasionally about eleven, put the kettle on in his private office, and as soon as the water was warm enough he would wash his hands and go home again. One day he opened a letter marked ‘Immediate,’ and put it into his pocket in order not to forget it. He wore the same coat again when he went to Boulogne, about six months afterwards, and he found the letter when he wanted a bit of paper to write an I O U for £50 on, for a gentleman who had been good enough to play cards with him at the Establishment. He posted it home with praiseworthy promptitude. Grigg and Limpet were sued for negligence in not attending to that letter, and it cost them £200 to stay the proceedings. After that the partners agreed that the less Limpet junior attended to business, the more likely he was to be worth the salary he drew.
Grigg and Limpet are sitting opposite each other to-day in room B. All the rooms are lettered, and this has a great effect upon clients. Faney a business so extensive that the very rooms have to be lettered for fear they should get mixed!
‘Time?’ says Grigg, looking up again.
‘Ten past,’ answers Limpet. ‘Time they were here,’
Limpet always says more than Grigg.
A clerk comes in.
‘Dr. Birnie, if you please, sir.’
‘Room C,’ says Grigg.
Presently another clerk comes in.
‘Mrs. Turvey, please, and a little girl.’