of course you were
away. It was very good fun. We had a regular bear garden."

"It looked like something of that sort yesterday when I was there."

"Yesterday? Oh! you had never been there before. Yes, it is always like
that. I say, come and take a drive in the park before dinner."

"No, thanks. I am very sorry, but I have an appointment in a few
minutes. I would like to go very much; you are very kind."

"Business?" asked the inquisitive Mr. Barker.

"Well--yes, if you like, business."

"Oh!" said Barker. "By the by, have you seen any of your lawyer people
to-day?" Barker had expected that Claudius would confide to him the
trouble Screw was raising. But as Claudius did not begin, Barker asked
the question.

"Yes," answered the Doctor, "Screw has been here. In fact he is just
gone."

"Anything wrong?" inquired the tormentor.

"No, nothing wrong that I know of," said Claudius. Then he suddenly
turned sharply on Barker, and looked straight at him. "Did you expect to
hear that there was anything wrong?" he asked quickly. Claudius had a
very unpleasant way of turning upon his antagonist just a minute before
the enemy was ready for him. Barker had found this out before, and,
being now directly interrogated, he winced perceptibly.

"Oh dear, no," he hastened to say. "But lawyers are great bores
sometimes, especially where wills are concerned. And I thought perhaps
Screw might be wearying you with his formalities."

"No," said Claudius indifferently, "nothing to--" he was interrupted by
a knock at the door. It was the Duke's servant, a quiet man in gray
clothes and gray whiskers. He had a bald head and bright eyes.

"His Grace's compliments, sir, and can you see him now, sir?"

"Yes, I will come in a moment," said Claudius.

"I think, sir," said the man, "that his Grace is coming to your rooms."

"Very good. My compliments, and I shall be glad to see him." The gray
servant vanished.

Barker rose to go; but Claudius was begging him not to hurry, when there
was another knock, and the Duke entered. He shook hands with Claudius,
and spoke rather coldly to Barker. The latter was uneasy, and felt that
he was in the way. He was. Barker had fallen into a singular error of
judgment in regard to the relations existing between the Duke and
Claudius. He had imagined it in his power to influence the Duke's
opinion, whereas in trying to effect that object he had roused the
Englishman's animosity. Besides, Mr. Barker was t