COKESON. Ye-es! [He laughs. Then with a sudden gravity] I'm sorry for that young man. I feel it as if it was my own son, Mr. James. JAMES. A nasty business! COKESON. It unsettles you. All goes on regular, and then a thing like this happens. Shan't relish my lunch to-day. JAMES. As bad as that, Cokeson? COKESON. It makes you think. [Confidentially] He must have had temptation. JAMES. Not so fast. We haven't convicted him yet. COKESON. I'd sooner have lost a month's salary than had this happen. [He broods.] JAMES. I hope that fellow will hurry up. COKESON. [Keeping things pleasant for the cashier] It isn't fifty yards, Mr. James. He won't be a minute. JAMES. The idea of dishonesty about this office it hits me hard, Cokeson. He goes towards the door of the partners' room. SWEEDLE. [Entering quietly, to COKESON in a low voice] She's popped up again, sir-something she forgot to say to Falder. COKESON. [Roused from his abstraction] Eh? Impossible. Send her away! JAMES. What's that? COKESON. Nothing, Mr. James. A private matter. Here, I'll come myself. [He goes into the outer office as JAMES passes into the partners' room] Now, you really mustn't--we can't have anybody just now. RUTH. Not for a minute, sir? COKESON. Reely! Reely! I can't have it. If you want him, wait about; he'll be going out for his lunch directly. RUTH. Yes, sir. WALTER, entering with the cashier, passes RUTH as she leaves the outer office. COKESON. [To the cashier, who resembles a sedentary dragoon] Good-morning. [To WALTER] Your father's in there. WALTER crosses and goes into the partners' room. COKESON. It's a nahsty, unpleasant little matter, Mr. Cowley. I'm quite ashamed to have to trouble you. COWLEY. I remember the cheque quite well. [As if it were a liver] Seemed in perfect order. COKESON. Sit down, won't you? I'm not a sensitive man, but a thing like this about the place--it's not nice. I like people to be open and jolly together. COWLEY. Quite so. COKESON. [Buttonholing him, and glancing toward the partners' room] Of course he's a young man. I've told him about it before now-- leaving space after his figures, but he will do it. COWLEY. I should remember the person's face--quite a youth. COKESON. I don't think we shall be able to show him to you, as a matter of fact. JAMES and WALTER have come back from the partners' room. JAMES. Good-morning, Mr. Cowley. You've seen my son and myself, you've seen Mr. Cokeson, and you've seen Sweedle, my office-boy. It was none of us, I take it. The cashier shakes his head with a smile. JAMES. Be so good as to sit there. Cokeson, engage Mr. Cowley in conversation, will you? He goes toward FALDER'S room. COKESON. Just a word, Mr. James. JAMES. Well? COKESON. You don't want to upset the young man in there, do you? He's a nervous young feller.