Mr. Sheldrake was smartly dressed, and presented quite a gay appearance in his cut-away velvet coat and his cane and fashionable hat, and with his moustaches carefully curled. He did not remove his hat, but looked round upon the room and its poor furnishings superciliously, with the air of a suzerain; and looked also at Muzzy with more than usual interest. "Will you take a seat, sir?" asked Muzzy humbly, and with inward trepidation; for any occurrence out of the usual run of things filled him with fear. Mr. Sheldrake seated himself by the table and took up the empty glass. "Been drinking, Muzzy?" "No, sir, no," replied Muzzy, striving to look Mr. Sheldrake in the face as he told the untruth, but failing most signally. "I've given it up, sir, I've given it up." Mr. Sheldrake smiled and nodded, as much as to say, "I know you are lying, but it's of no consequence;" and said aloud, with another disparaging look round the apartment, "Not a very handsome lodging, old man." "As good as I can afford, sir," said Muzzy. "You sly old dog," said Mr. Sheldrake merrily; "it's my opinion you have a pot of money put by somewhere." "No, sir, indeed, sir, no; if I had, I should live in a better place than this." "A flower, eh?" taking up the flower which Muzzy had bought for Lizzie. "You amorous old dog! What lady fair is this for?" "For a friend who lives in the next room." "I thought you told me you had no friends," said Mr. Sheldrake, with a swift but searching glance at Muzzy's drooping form. "More I have, sir; only this one, a good girl who tidies up my place, and cooks a bit for me now and then. I told you the truth, sir. I have not known her long." "Can she hear us talk, this charmer of yours?" "She's not at home, sir." "But if she came in quietly--women are sly ones, some of them; like cats--could she hear us?" "No, sir, not when the door is shut." Mr. Sheldrake rose and closed the door. "Now, Muzzy, let's to business." "Yes, sir." "I haven't come here for nothing to-night, old man. You're getting too old for the work at the office----" "Don't say that, sir," implored Muzzy; "don't say that!" "Don't put yourself in a flurry old man. We want younger heads than yours now; they're looking sharper after us than they used to do, and in the case of a blow-up they'd frighten all sorts of things out of you. The fact is, we're going to break up the office here, and start a new one in Scotland. But I've something better in view for you, if I thought I could depend upon you." "Don't think, sir; be sure. I'll do anything you tell me. You'll find the old man faithful to the last. I didn't think you'd throw me off, sir; you're not that sort." "I suppose you would be faithful, as it would be for your interest to be so. You'd go to the dogs fast enough if I threw you off. And if I thought you were not to be trusted----"