I have got any business to give, of course he ought
to have it."

Midwinter still looked distrustfully at the open letter on the table.
"I am sadly afraid, Allan, there is something wrong already," he said.
"This man would never have ventured on the application he has made to
you, unless he had some good reason for believing he would succeed. If
you wish to put yourself right at starting, you will send to Mr. Darch
this morning to tell him you are here, and you will take no notice for
the present of Mr. Pedgift's letter."

Before more could be said on either side, the footman made his
appearance with the breakfast tray. He was followed, after an interval,
by the butler, a man of the essentially confidential kind, with a
modulated voice, a courtly manner, and a bulbous nose. Anybody but Allan
would have seen in his face that he had come into the room having a
special communication to make to his master. Allan, who saw nothing
under the surface, and whose head was running on the lawyer's letter,
stopped him bluntly with the point-blank question: "Who's Mr. Pedgift?"

The butler's sources of local knowledge opened confidentially on the
instant. Mr. Pedgift was the second of the two lawyers in the town. Not
so long established, not so wealthy, not so universally looked up to
as old Mr. Darch. Not doing the business of the highest people in the
county, and not mixing freely with the best society, like old Mr. Darch.
A very sufficient man, in his way, nevertheless. Known as a perfectly
competent and respectable practitioner all round the neighborhood. In
short, professionally next best to Mr. Darch; and personally superior to
him (if the expression might be permitted) in this respect--that Darch
was a Crusty One, and Pedgift wasn't.

Having imparted this information, the butler, taking a wise advantage
of his position, glided, without a moment's stoppage, from Mr. Pedgift's
character to the business that had brought him into the breakfast-room.
The Midsummer Audit was near at hand; and the tenants were accustomed
to have a week's notice of the rent-day dinner. With this necessity
pressing, and with no orders given as yet, and no steward in office
at Thorpe Ambrose, it appeared desirable that some confidential person
should bring the matter forward. The butler was that confidential
person; and he now ventured accordingly to trouble his master on the
subject.

At this point Allan opened his lips to interrupt, and was himse