"H'm!" said John, raising his brows, conscious of a humane but very faint interest in Mr. Timson's affairs. Mr. Harum got out a cigar, and, lighting it, gave a puff or two, and continued with what struck the younger man as a perfectly irrelevant question. It really seemed to him as if his senior were making conversation. "How's Peleg doin' these days?" was the query. "Very well," was the reply. "C'n do most anythin' 't's nec'sary, can't he?" A brief interruption followed upon the entrance of a man, who, after saying good-morning, laid a note on David's desk, asking for the money on it. Mr. Harum handed it back, indicating John with a motion of his thumb. The latter took it, looked at the face and back, marked his initials on it with a pencil, and the man went out to the counter. "If you was fixed so 't you could git away fer a spell," said David a moment or two after the customer's departure, "where would you like to go?" "I have not thought about it," said John rather listlessly. "Wa'al, s'pose you think about it a little now, if you hain't got no pressin' engagement. Bus'nis don't seem to be very rushin' this mornin'." "Why?" said John. "Because," said David impressively, "you're goin' somewhere right off, quick 's you c'n git ready, an' you may 's well be makin' up your mind where." John looked up in surprise. "I don't want to go away," he said, "and if I did, how could I leave the office?" "No," responded Mr. Harum, "you don't want to make a move of any kind that you don't actually have to, an' that's the reason fer makin' one. F'm what the doc said, an' f'm what I c'n see, you got to git out o' this dum'd climate," waving his hand toward the window, against which the sleet was beating, "fer a spell; an' as fur 's the office goes, Chet Timson 'd be tickled to death to come on an' help out while you're away, an' I guess 'mongst us we c'n mosey along some gait. I ain't _quite_ to the bone-yard yet myself," he added with a grin. The younger man sat for a moment or two with brows contracted, and pulling thoughtfully at his moustache. "There is that matter," he said, pointing to the letter on the desk. "Wa'al," said David, "the' ain't no tearin' hurry 'bout that; an' any way, I was goin' to make you a suggestion to put the matter into my hands to some extent." "Will you take it?" said John quickly. "That is exactly what I should wish in any case." "If you want I should," replied Mr. Harum. "Would you want to give full power attorney, or jest have me say 't I was instructed to act for ye?" "I think a better way would be to put the property in your name altogether," said John. "Don't you think so?" "Wa'al," said David, thoughtfully, after a moment, "I hadn't thought of that, but mebbe I _could_ handle the matter better if you was to do that. I know the parties, an' if the' was any bluffin' to be done either side, mebbe it would be better if they thought I was playin' my own hand."