She was
calm and collected enough when she took the chair which the solicitor
drew forward.
"I called on you for two reasons, Mr. Eldrick," she said. "First, to
thank you for your kindness and thoughtfulness at the time of my
brother's death, in sending your clerk to help in making the
arrangements."
"Very glad he was of any assistance, Miss Mallathorpe," answered
Eldrick. "I thought, of course, that as he had been on the spot, as it
were, when the accident happened, he could do a few little things----"
"He was very useful in that way," said Nesta. "And I was very much
obliged to him. But the second reason for my call is--I want to speak to
you about him."
"Yes?" responded Eldrick. He had already formed some idea as to what was
in his visitor's mind, and he was secretly glad of the opportunity of
talking to her. "About Pratt, eh? What about him, Miss Mallathorpe?"
"He was with you for some years, I believe?" she asked.
"A good many years," answered Eldrick. "He came to us as office-boy, and
was head-clerk when he left us."
"Then you ought to know him--well," she suggested.
"As to that," replied Eldrick, "there are some people in this world whom
other people never could know well--that's to say, really well. I know
Pratt well enough for what he was--our clerk. Privately, I know little
about him. He's clever--he's ability--he's a chap who reads a good
deal--he's got ambitions.
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