tly. References
to Moorlands invariably roused his ire.

"I am coming to that, sir, slowly, but surely. Now that I have found
somebody that will listen to me--that is, if you are Mr. Harry Rutter--"
The deferential air with which he said this was admirable.

"Oh, yes--I'm the man," answered Harry in a resigned voice.

"Yes, sir--so I supposed. And now I look at you, sir"--here the gimlet
was in full twist--"I would make an affidavit to that effect before any
notary." He began loosening his coat with his skinny fingers, fumbling
in his inside pocket, thrusting deep his hand, as if searching for an
elusive insect in the vicinity of his arm-pit, his talk continuing:
"Yes, sir, before any notary, you are so exactly like your father.
Not that I've seen your father, sir, VERY MANY TIMES"--the elusive
had evidently escaped, for his hand went deeper. "I've only seen him
once--ONCE--and it was enough. It was not a pleasant visit, sir--in
fact, it was a most UNpleasant visit. I came very near having cause
for action--for assault, really. A very polite colored man was all that
prevented it, and--Ah--here it is!" He had the minute pest now. "Permit
me to separate the list from the exhibits."

At this Gadgem's hand, clutching a bundle of papers, came out with a
jerk--so much of a jerk that St. George, who was about to end the comedy
by ordering the man from the room, stopped short in his protest, his
curiosity getting the better of him to know what the fellow had found.

"There, sir." Here he drew a long slip from the package, held it between
his thumb and forefinger, and was about to continue, when St. George
burst out with:

"Look here, Gadgem--if you have any business with Mr. Rutter you will
please state it at once. We have hardly finished breakfast."

"I beg, sir, that you will not lose your temper. It is unBUSinesslike to
lose one's temper. Gadgem & Combes, sir, NEVER lose their temper. They
are men of peace, sir--ALways men of peace. Mr. Combes sometimes resorts
to extreme measures, but NEVER Mr. Gadgem. _I_ am Mr. Gadgem, sir," and
he tapped his soiled shirt-front with his soiled finger-nail. "PEACE
is my watchword, that is why this matter has been placed in my hands.
Permit me, sir, to ask you to cast your eye over this."

Harry, who was getting interested, scanned the long slip and handed it
to St. George, who studied it for a moment and returned it to Harry.

"You will note, I beg of you, sir, the first item." Th