Paul turned to the speaker with dawning recognition in his glance.
"Why, aren't you the fellow who gave me a lift for nothing the first evening I came into the place."
"Yes, sir; I've often thought on it since. I shouldn't have spoke so free if I'd known who I was talking to."
"Why not?" said Paul, smiling pleasantly. "You sent me to the proper person to find me a lodging, at any rate; and you certainly spoke no harm of any one. I thought you told me you worked at the Court.
"So I did, sir; but I'm leaving there on Saturday."
"Of your own free will?"
"Not exactly; I got notice because I came home drunk one night."
"Is that your habit, may I ask? It's a bad one."
"No, sir, it's not," said Tom, lifting fearless eyes. "It was the first time."
"Let it be the last, then. What kind of work can you do?"