A tall, middle-aged man with a kindly, sagacious face was pacing up and down dictating to a Eurasian clerk who sat at the table. He paused in his walk, bowing to his visitor as he said: "How do you do, sir!"
Rayner noticed that a pair of shrewd eyes were fixed upon him with a quiet, scrutinising glance.
"Ha, he don't half like this chip of the old block coming to claim his own," he said to himself as he returned the bow with a broad smile. "Sorry to disturb you on a busy morning, sir. I've just remembered that this is our English mail day," he began, as the clerk began to gather his papers to retire.
"Oh, as to that we're always pretty well up to time here," returned the other, motioning his visitor to the seat which the clerk had just vacated, and taking a chair opposite him.
"Well, I suppose I'd better come to the point at once," began Mr. Rayner briskly. "The fact is I've taken this run to Calcutta to see my birthplace, and I thought I might use the opportunity to call on the present representative of Truelove Brothers. I believe you are now the senior partner of the firm?"
"I am," said Mr. Fyson laconically.
"Well, naturally sentimental reasons prompted me to wish to see the inside of the business house where my father was a partner."
Mr. Fyson raised his eyebrows but made no response.
"I speak of David Rayner. Of course you are aware that I am his son?"
"There was never a David Rayner partner in this firm, but I believe a John Rayner once held some office here."