"Oh!—Mr. Clark, I did not know I should have been so long about my work. I was so engaged getting my book straight for you, and writing—a few cheques for my annual contributions to hospitals, etc.,—that the time slipped by—"
The tone was unusually conciliatory for Livingstone; but he still retained it in addressing Clark. It was partly a remnant of his old time relation to Mr. Clark when he, yet a young man, first knew him, and partly a recognition of Clark's position as a man of good birth who had been unfortunate, and had a large family to support.
"Oh! that's all right, Mr. Livingstone," said the clerk, pleasantly.
He gathered up the letters on the desk and was unconsciously pressing them into exact order.
"Shall I have these mailed or sent by a messenger?"
"Mail them, of course," said Livingstone. "And Clark, I want you to—"
"I thought possibly that, as to-morrow is—" began the clerk in explanation, but stopped as Livingstone continued speaking without noticing the interruption.
—"I have been going over my matters," pursued Livingstone, "and they are in excellent shape—better this year than ever before—"
The clerk's face brightened.
"That's very good," said he, heartily. "I knew they were."