her Micah. Father wouldn't have none of us christened Jonah, because he
said he was real mean; but we had Nahum, and Habakkuk Zephaniah and
Haggai Zechariah; and when my time came there was nothing left but
Malachi, and father said we had better finish the job: and so Malachi I
was. It is a blessing," continued Malachi frankly, "that Habakkuk
Zephaniah and Haggai Zechariah died when they were babies; for none of
us would have known what to call them; as it is, I am mostly called
Mealy Murphy down my way."

"There's a gentleman waiting to see you, sir," observed Malachi,
dropping his clasp knife dexterously into the waste-paper basket.
"Wouldn't give his name. Seems in a mighty hurry by the way he has been
walking all over the shop," he continued, sotto voce, as he dipped his
pen into the ink again. "I wonder what the governor would say if he had
heard him whistling like a penny steamer and playing old Sallie with
the pen-wipers and sealing-wax. A lively sort of bloke as ever I see."

Malcolm walked rapidly to the door and opened it; as he did so, a look
of surprise and pleasure crossed his face at the sight of a handsome,
fair-haired youth, lying back on his easy-chair, with his feet resting
on a pile of ledgers.

"Hallo, Cedric!" he exclaimed in a cordial tone. "What on earth has
brought you up to town on the hottest day of the year? No, stay where
you are," as his visitor attempted to rise, and Malcolm put his hands
lightly on the boy's shoulders, pressing him gently back against the
cushions. "I never sit there myself unless I am lazy."

"All right, old chap," returned the other easily. "I didn't want to
move; only manners maketh man--I always was the pink of courtesy and
politeness, don't you know. Ask old Dinah, and she will tell you."

"Oh yes, we all know that," returned Malcolm drily. "Now, will you
answer my question--what brings you up to Lincoln's Inn in this
unexpected manner?"

"Keep cool, old fellow, and take a seat, and I will tell you," returned
the lad in a patronising tone. "You see I am staying at Teddington.
Fred Courtenay was spliced yesterday, and I had promised to be at the
show."

"Oh, I forgot Courtenay was to be married yesterday," muttered Malcolm.

"It went off all right," continued Cedric. "No one forbade the banns,
and the happy couple drove away with half-a-dozen satin slippers
reposing on the roof of the carriage. But now the business is over, it
is a trifle dull. Fred's sisters