John’s countenance grew pale with horror and dismay. He cried out, sharply,
‘Good heavens! Why, it cannot be Horrocks or Green?’
‘Don’t add slander to your other sins,’ said Mr. Barrett, severely, ‘or endeavour to take away the character of young men who are quite incapable——’
‘So they are,’ said John, in all good faith, ‘quite incapable. That is true, sir; but I could not help thinking for a moment that I might have left some of my papers about, and that they might have picked them up—but you’re right, sir; they couldn’t do it—that is a great relief to my mind.’
The young man was so undisguisedly relieved and so perfectly straightforward in the whole matter, that William Barrett began to doubt. He cast a glance at his father, who, however, sat rigid and showed no relenting.
‘Sandford,’ said the younger man, ‘you seem to speak very fair; but there’s this fact against you—no one supposed it was anyone’s scheme but yours; you are the only man in our office capable of anything of the sort; we all know that. And it’s no crime; but it is a horrid thing all the same—a caddish, currish sort of thing—to abandon the people who have trained you and done you every justice, and carry what I have no doubt you believe would be profitable work to another house.’
‘I—carry work to another house! It is quite impossible that you should believe that of me. I might have thought it if you had said I had killed somebody,’ said John, with a faint smile of ridicule, ‘for that’s a thing that might be done in a moment’s passion—but carry work to another house! You cannot believe that of me.’
‘What has believing to do with it,’ said Mr. Barrett, ‘when there are the facts that can be proved? Don’t lose time bandying words, Will. Sandford must see that after this there can be no further connection between us. He knows, of course, that his place at Spender and Diggs’ is safe enough. Let him have what is owing to him and let him go. I took him without a premium for his mother’s sake, and for the same reason—for Mrs. Sandford is a very worthy woman—I’ve given him every advantage, although I expected something of this sort all along.’
‘Why should something of this sort have been expected from me? What have I done? I have done no wrong—I have all my papers in my pocket. You said you would rather have the rough notes. Here they are, every one,’ cried John, taking out the papers from the envelope and throwing them done on the table; ‘here are all the calculations, diagrams, and drawings, and all. And now, Mr. Barrett, there is the question to settle which you’ve just mentioned, which you raised long ago,’ said the young man, with a flush of pride and anger. ‘That wretched premium! It shall be paid before the banks close to-day. That, at all events, I can settle at once. You have flung it in my teeth more than once when I was powerless. Now I have it in my own hands. Your premium, of which you have thought so much, shall be paid to-day.’
‘Stop there, Sandford,’ said the younger partner. ‘Father, I beg don’t say anything more—let us understand the more important matter first. You say you have brought us all your papers here. And yet I am informed from Spender and Diggs that they have your scheme, all carefully written out and elaborated——’