"Will you be so good as to explain what is the object of this visit?" said Hallam coldly. "Why, can't you see? I've come to the bank because I want some money. There, you need not look like that, my lad. It's my turn now, and you've got to put things a bit straight for me after what I suffered sooner than speak." "Do you mean you have come here to insult me and make me send for a constable?" cried Hallam. "Yes, if you like," said the young man, leaning forward, and gazing full in the manager's face; "send for one if you like. But you don't like, Robert Hallam. There, I'm a man of few words. I've suffered a deal just through being true to my mate, and now you've got to make it up to me." "You scoun--" "Sh! That'll do. Just please yourself, my fine fellow; only, if you don't play fair towards the man who let things go against him without a word, I shall just go round the town and say--" "Silence, you scoundrel!" cried Hallam fiercely; and he caught his unpleasant visitor by the arm. Just then James Thickens entered, as quietly as a shadow, taking everything in at a glance, but without evincing any surprise. "Think yourself lucky, sir," continued Hallam aloud, "that I do not have you locked up. Mr Thickens, see this man off the premises." Then, in a whisper that his visitor alone could hear, and with a meaning look: "Be quiet and go. Come to my rooms to-night." VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER FOUR. DRAWING A DOG'S TEETH. "I think that's all, Mr Hallam, sir," said Mrs Pinet, looking plump, smiling, and contented, as she ran her eyes over the tea-table in the bank manager's comfortably-furnished room--"tea-pot, cream, salt, pepper, butter, bread,"--she ran on below her breath in rapid enumeration, "why, bless my heart, I didn't bring the sauce!" "Yes, that's all, Mrs Pinet," said the manager in his gravely-polite manner. "But, begging your pardon, it is not, sir; I forgot the sauce." "Oh! never mind that to-night." "If you'll excuse me, sir, I would rather," said plump, pleasant-faced Mrs Pinet, who supplemented a small income by letting apartments; and before she could be checked she hurried out, to return at the end of a few minutes, bearing a small round bottle. "And King of Oude," said the little woman. "Shall I take the cover, sir?" "If you please, Mrs Pinet?" "Which it's a pleasure to wait upon such a thorough gentleman," said Mrs Pinet to herself as she trotted back to her own region, leaving Hallam gazing down at the homely, pleasant meal. He threw himself into a chair, poured out a cup of the tea, cooled it by the addition of some water from a bottle on a stand, and drank it hastily. Then, sitting back, he seemed to be thinking deeply, and finally drew up to the table, but turned from the food in disgust.