"He was unexpectedly called away; come again to-morrow at this time," added the jaunty person, briskly.
"I can't come to-morrow at this hour; school keeps."
"Come at one, then," replied the business man, who did not seem to care whether school kept or not.
"Will you tell him, sir, that I came as he wished, and will call again at one to-morrow?"
"Yes, yes. I will tell him all about it," answered the brisk personage, as he took a small carpet-bag in his hand, and led the way out through the banking-room.
The clerks had returned to their desks, and were again busy over their books and papers; for the excitement had subsided, and people went their way as though nothing had happened. The unwonted scene of a man in Mr. Checkynshaw's position putting a clerk out of his office excited a little comment, and the banker had stopped in the long hall to explain to a bank president the occasion of his prompt and decisive action. Leo and the jaunty man passed him as they left the building; but the boy did not know him from Adam.
"Where do you live, my boy?" asked the jaunty man, coming up to him when he had crossed State and entered Congress Street.
"No. 3 Phillimore Court," replied Leo.
He had before lost sight of the man, who, he had already concluded, from finding him in the private office and at the safe, was one of the partners in the house of Checkynshaw, Hart, & Co. He could not imagine what a person of so much importance could want of him, or how it concerned him to know where he lived.
"Is it far from here?"