has the back attic, No. 17, in the Inn," said
Stemm.

"They ought to turn him out," said Sir Thomas.

"I rather like it myself," said Stemm. "It suits my disposition,
sir." Then he made his little suggestion in regard to his own
personal needs, and of course was blown up for not having come in
two hours ago to remind Sir Thomas that it was dinner-time. "It's
because I wouldn't disturb you when you has the Bacon papers out, Sir
Thomas," said Stemm serenely. Sir Thomas winced and shook his head;
but such scenes as this were too common to have much effect. "Stemm!"
he called aloud, as soon as the old clerk had closed the door;
"Stemm!" Whereupon Stemm reappeared. "Stemm, have some one here next
week to pack all these books."

"Pack all the books, Sir Thomas!"

"Yes;--to pack all the books. There must be cases. Now, go and get
your dinner."

"New cases, Sir Thomas!"

"That will do. Go and get your dinner." And yet his mind was not
quite made up.

CHAPTER LII.

GUS EARDHAM.

Whether Mr. Neefit broke Ralph Newton's little statuette,--a
miniature copy in porcelain of the Apollo Belvidere, which stood in a
corner of Ralph's room, and in the possession of which he took some
pride,--from awkwardness in his wrath or of malice prepense, was
never known. He told the servant that he had whisked it down with
his coat tails; but Ralph always thought that the breeches-maker had
intended to make a general ruin, but had been cowed by the noise of
his first attack. He did, at any rate, abstain from breaking other
things, and when the servant entered the room, condescended to make
some careless apology. "A trifle like that ain't nothing between me
and your master, Jack," said Mr. Neefit, after accounting for the
accident by his coat-tails.

"I am not Jack," said the indignant valet, with a strong foreign
accent. "I am named--Adolphe."

"Adolphe, are you? I don't think much of Adolphe for a name;--but it
ain't no difference to me. Just pick up them bits; will you?"

The man turned a look of scorn on Mr. Neefit, and did pick up the
bits. He intended to obey his master as far as might be possible,
but was very unwilling to wait upon the breeches-maker. He felt that
the order which had been given to him was very cruel. It was his
duty,--and his pleasure to wait upon gentlemen; but this man he
knew to be a tradesman who measured customers for hunting apparel
in his own shop. It was hard upon him that his master should