“Tell him I want to have a talk with him,” said Mr. Crewe. “I've been to see Mr. Flint, and I think matters can be arranged. And mind you, no word about this, Ball.”
“I guess I understand a thing or two,” said Mr. Ball. “Trust me to handle it.”
Two days later, as Mr. Crewe was seated in his study, his man entered and stood respectfully waiting for the time when he should look up from his book.
“Well, what is it now, Waters?”
“If you please, sir,” said the man, “a strange message has come over the telephone just now that you were to be in room number twelve of the Ripton House to-morrow at ten o'clock. They wouldn't give any name, sir,” added the dignified Waters, who, to tell the truth, was somewhat outraged, “nor tell where they telephoned from. But it was a man's voice, sir.”
“All right,” said Mr. Crewe.
He spent much of the afternoon and evening debating whether or not his dignity would permit him to go. But he ordered the motor at half-past nine, and at ten o'clock precisely the clerk at the Ripton House was bowing to him and handing him, deferentially, a dripping pen.
“Where's room number twelve?” said the direct Mr. Crewe.
“Oh,” said the clerk, and possessing a full share of the worldly wisdom of his calling, he smiled broadly. “I guess you'll find him up there, Mr. Crewe. Front, show the gentleman to number twelve.”
The hall boy knocked on the door of number twelve.