Page:Anna Katharine Green - Leavenworth Case.djvu/141

Rh we are in want of a gentleman to work for us, we have to go outside of our profession."

I began to see what he was driving at; but held my peace, vaguely conscious I was likely to prove a necessity to him, after all.

"Mr. Raymond," he now said, almost abruptly; "do you know a gentleman by the name of Clavering residing at present at the Hoffman House?"

"Not that I am aware of."

"He is very polished in his manners; would you mind making his acquaintance?"

I followed Mr. Gryce’s example, and stared at the chimney-piece. "I cannot answer till I understand matters a little better," I returned at length.

"There is not much to understand. Mr. Henry Clavering, a gentleman and a man of the world, resides at the Hoffman House. He is a stranger in town, without being strange; drives, walks, smokes, but never visits; looks at the ladies, but is never seen to bow to one. In short, a person whom it is desirable to know; but whom, being a proud man, with something of the old-world prejudice against Yankee freedom and forwardness, I could no more approach in the way of acquaintance than I could the Emperor of Austria."

"And you wish"

"He would make a very agreeable companion for a rising young lawyer of good family and undoubted respectability. I have no doubt, if you undertook to cultivate him, you would find him well worth the trouble."

"But"

"Might even desire to take him into familiar relations; to confide in him, and"

"Mr. Gryce," I hastily interrupted; "I can never