I caused Dacre to be shadowed,
and during one of his absences made the acquaintance of his man
Hopper, a surly, impolite brute, who accepted my golden sovereign
quickly enough, but gave me little in exchange for it. While I
conversed with him, there arrived in the passage where we were talking
together a huge case of champagne, bearing one of the best-known names
in the trade, and branded as being of the vintage of '78. Now I knew
that the product of Camelot Freres is not bought as cheaply as British
beer, and I also had learned that two short weeks before Mr. Lionel
Dacre was at his wits' end for money. Yet he was still the same
briefless barrister he had ever been.
On the morning after my unsatisfactory conversation with his man
Hopper, I was astonished to receive the following note, written on a
dainty correspondence card:--
'3 and 4 Vellum Buildings,
'Inner Temple, E.C.
'Mr. Lionel Dacre presents his compliments to Monsieur Eugene
Valmont, and would be obliged if Monsieur Valmont could make
it convenient to call upon him in his chambers tomorrow
morning at eleven.'
* * * * *
Had the young man become aware that he was being shadowed, or had the
surly servant informed him of the inquiries made? I was soon to know.
Pages:
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134