The captain received him in his summerhouse. He read the letter, introducing and describing him. Then he laid it down and looked at his visitor cursorily. "Oh!" he said, "you are the attorney of Lord Fylingdale, are you, and you want to make an audit of my accounts? You've come all the way from London on purpose to make that audit, have you? Well, sir, you will carry this letter to Mr. Nathaniel Redman, and you will give it to him."
"Who is Mr. Redman? I know of no Redman in this business."
"He is an attorney-at-law, like yourself, young man, and he is a notary, and this job is turned over to him."
"Oh! I understood, Captain Crowle, that I should confer with you personally."
"Did you so? Well, sir, if you will see Mr. Redman you can confer with him instead. The job is his."
The captain, in fact, had been warned not to make any communications or to hold any conversation with the attorney. He felt himself only safe, therefore, in repeating that the job was Mr. Redman's.
"We may, however, come to some preliminary, Captain Crowle. The estate now——"
The captain waved his hand in the direction of the garden door. "The job, young man, is Mr. Redman's. There is your letter. Take it to him."
Mr. Bisse accordingly retired and repaired to the office and residence of Mr. Redman—to whom he gave his letter.
"We shall have no difficulties, I presume," he said.