"No," replied Omer.
"Then why did you not?"
"I had no orders, sir. Mr. Fauntleroy only told me to look whether such an entry was there."
"Then you must go now——What's that you are about? Winter's settlement? Why, you have had time to finish that twice over."
"I have been out all the morning with that writ," pleaded Omer, "and could not get to serve it at last. Pretty well three hours I was standing in the passage next his house, waiting for him to come out, and the wind whistling my head off all the time."
Mr. Kenneth vouchsafed no response to this; but he would not disturb the clerk again from Winter's deed. He ordered another, Mr. Green, to go to St. James's church for the copy, and threw him half-a-crown to pay for it.
Young Mr. Green did not relish the mission, and thought himself barbarously used in being sent upon it, inasmuch as that he was an articled clerk and a gentleman, not a paid nobody. "Trapesing through the weather all down to that St. James's!" muttered he, as he snatched his hat and greatcoat.
It struck three o'clock before he came back. "Where's Kenneth?" asked he, when he entered.
"In the governor's room. You can go in."
Mr. Green did go in, and Mr. Kenneth broke out into anger. "You have taken your time!"