The lawyer stood for a little while, then, turning slowly, went back to his room and closed the door. Jack caught the clerk's smiling eye.

    "We see a bit of life now and again, don't we?" commented that gentleman.

    "Who is he?" asked Jack.

    "Mr. Larry Benson. You've heard of him?"

    "I don't know him from a crow," Jack admitted.

    "He's pretty well known up West," said the clerk, working as he spoke, and that seemed to summarise Mr. Larry Benson's character.

    Half an hour passed, and another quarter, and still the interview went on, and Jack was beginning to wonder whether Hemmer would have the opportunity of seeing him.—the more so as he heard the clerk fix a telephone appointment for twelve o'clock. Then, when he had almost given up all hope, Mr. Hemmer appeared in the doorway.

    "Will you come in for a moment, Mr., Bryce?" he said.

    Jack obeyed with alacrity.

    "This is Mrs. Dermot." He introduced him to the old lady. "This is Mr. Bryce, of whom I have been speaking."

    The old lady had evidently been crying, for her eyes were red, and she looked anxiously at Jack.

    "He's certainly good-looking," she said. Jack blushed.

    "Mrs. Dermot and I have been having a talk, Mr. Bryce," Mr. Hemmer explained, resuming his seat at his desk. "You probably saw the interview I had with the gentleman who left this office a few moments ago?" Jack nodded. "Well, I will tell you the whole story before I put any proposal to you," he went on. "Mr. Larry Benson is a well-known man-about-town, though he is not so well known that I have heard anything very good of him. It has been our misfortune that he has met Mrs. Dermot's niece, who is an heiress in her own right, and inherits a large sum of money—next June. Miss Colebrook is a charming girl, but she has been quite carried off her feet by this"—he seemed at some loss to discover a word—"person. Now we have thought of a scheme—or, rather, I have thought of it. It is not one which I would ordinarily care to recommend to a client; but, under the circumstances, I think I am justified in putting it forward." Mrs. Dermot assented. "Mrs. Dermot and her niece are staying at a large hotel in Surrey. Mr. Benson is also staying there, and every effort Mrs. Dermot has made to induce her self-willed niece to leave has been unsuccessful."

    Mr. Hemmer paused to frame his proposal.