The clock of a neighbouring church struck nine!
About ten minutes afterwards the door opened, and a young man about two and twenty entered. He started on seeing Chewkle, and looked as disconcerted as a man who comes suddenly upon a creditor whom he cannot pay, the said creditor being inexorable and rapacious, and money his only pacificator. If such were the clerk’s feelings, his apprehensions were relieved by Chewkle stating the object of his visit.
“Governor won’t be here till ten,” replied the clerk; “I can’t open his letters: and if I did I don’t dare give up any papers. You must wait till he comes.” He gave Chewkle back the letter and told him to take his seat again, which Chewkle did.
About half-past nine Chewkle said, suddenly, that he wanted to make a call at no great distance off, and he thought he might as well go on that business as sit there doing nothing until ten, by which hour he could certainly be again at the office. The clerk said he thought so too. So Chewkle went leisurely away.
No sooner out of sight of the office than he jumped into a cab, and drove to his own house, and in a secret place deposited in an iron chest, with other articles of value, the deed he had purloined. He locked the chest safely, and once more made his way to the street, where he hired another cab, rattled back to the neighbourhood of the lawyer’s office, discharged it, and entered the office at three minutes to ten.
“Governor not here yet,” said the clerk; “sit down.”
Chewkle obeyed, looking vacant; laughing stupidly when the eye of the clerk caught his. “What a pump,” thought the young man.
Chewkle felt slightly uneasy, for fear the managing clerk Scathe should make his appearance and recognise him, but he calculated he was engaged at Westminster, in a cause, and would be hunting up witnesses before he made his appearance at the office.
As the thought passed through his mind, the door was flung open, and the principal of the firm entered. Chewkle rose up and handed him the letter.
“From Mr. Grahame, Regent’s Park,” he said.