At sight of Pratt--who in the course of
business had once served him with a writ--his pale face flushed, and
then whitened, and Pratt hastened to assure him of his peaceful errand.
"All right, Mr. Murgatroyd," he said. "Nothing to be alarmed about--I'm
out of that line, now--no papers of that sort tonight. I've a bit of
business I can put in your hands--profitable business. Look here!--have
you got a quarter of an hour to spare?"
Murgatroyd, who looked greatly relieved to find that his visitor had
neither writ nor summons for him, glanced at his parlour door.
"I was just going to put the shutters up, and sit down to a bite of
supper, Mr. Pratt," he answered. "Will you come in, sir?"
"No--you come out with me," said Pratt. "Come round to the _Coach and
Horses_, and have a drink and we can talk. You'll have a better appetite
for your supper when you come back," he added, with a wink. "I've a
profitable job for you."
"Glad to hear it, sir," replied Murgatroyd. "I can do with aught of that
sort, I assure you!" He went into the parlour, said a word or two to
some person within, and came out again. "Not much business doing at
present, Mr. Pratt," he said, as he and his visitor turned into the
street. "Gets slacker than ever."
"Then you'll do with a slice of good luck," remarked Pratt. "It just
happens that I can put a bit in your way.
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