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156 such when he was desirous of seeing his clients without disturbance. On this occasion, however, when he saw young Mason enter, he made no offer to withdraw. His hat was on his head as he sat on his stool, and he did not even take it off as he returned the stiff salutation of his visitor. 'Keep your hat on your head Mr. Orme,' he said, as Peregrine was about to take his off. 'Well, gentlemen, what can I do for you?'

Lucius looked at the clerk, and felt that there would be great difficulty in talking about his mother before such a witness. 'We wish to see you in private, Mr. Dockwrath, for a few minutes—if it be convenient.'

'Is not this private enough?' said Dockwrath. 'There is no one here but my confidential clerk.'

'If you could make it convenient' began Lucius.

'Well, then, Mr. Mason, I cannot make it convenient, and there is the long and the short of it. You have brought Mr. Orme with you to hear what you've got to say, and I choose that my clerk shall remain by to hear it also. Seeing the position in which you stand there is no knowing what may come of such an interview as this.'

'In what position do I stand, sir?'

'If you don't know, Mr. Mason, I am not going to tell you. I feel for you, I do upon my word. I feel for you, and I pity you.' Mr. Dockwrath as he thus expressed his commiseration was sitting with his high chair tilted back, with his knees against the edge of his desk, with his hat almost down upon his nose as he looked at his visitors from under it, and he amused himself by cutting up a quill pen into small pieces with his penknife. It was not pleasant to be pitied by such a man as that, and so Peregrine Orme conceived.

'Sir, that is nonsense,' said Lucius. 'I require no pity from you or from any man.'

'I don't suppose there is one in all Hamworth that does not feel for you,' said Dockwrath.

'He means to be impudent,' said Peregrine. 'You had better come to the point with him at once.'

'No, I don't mean to be impudent, young gentleman. A man may speak his own mind in his own house I suppose without any impudence. You wouldn't stand cap in hand to me if I were to go down to you at The Cleeve.

'I have come here to ask of you,' said Lucius, 'whether it be true that you are spreading these reports about the town with reference to Lady Mason. If you are a man you will tell me the truth.'

'Well; I rather think I am a man.'

'It is necessary that Lady Mason should be protected from such