"I am Miss Bolitho," she said to the young man. "Perhaps you know me?"
"Yes," replied the other. "I know you very well by sight. What can I do for you?"
"You will naturally understand," said Mary, "that I am keenly interested in—in the trial in Manchester?"
"Naturally," said the young man.
"I suppose," said the girl, "you have in your books a record of all the people you employ?"
"Certainly."
"When they are engaged and when they leave?"
"Certainly—that is, we put their names down in a book when they come, and cross them off when they cease working for us."
"And you have all these books at hand?"
"Certainly," replied Standring. He was proud of the way in which the books of the firm of Stepaside and Preston were kept.