‘I CANNOT understand, Gore,’ said the junior partner of Gore and Tolley, as the senior partner made a tranquil and unobtrusive entrance at five minutes past ten precisely, ‘how any intelligent human being can arrive at his office every morning exactly five minutes late.’
The senior partner lighted a pipe without resentment and turned the twinkle of a pair of kindly if exceedingly shrewd gray eyes upon his colleague.
‘System, my dear Tolley,’ he said blandly. ‘Highly specialized system. My existence is saturated with it. As to the particular point under discussion, I may say that in all human probability I was born five minutes late.’
‘Don’t be an ass,’ said Mr Tolley. ‘Guess what’s in the net this morning!’
‘I know,’ said Colonel Gore placidly. ‘Sir Maurice Gaul, I understand, desires to enlist our distinguished services. I had a note from Lady Pauncefield this morning telling me that she had recommended us. Very sweet of the dear old thing. I’m glad we got back that gold plate of hers for her. Well, let us hear what our friend Sir Maurice has to say for himself.’
Tolley picked up a crested sheet of delicate azure from his desk and read:
| Tel. 33 Mortfield. | ||
| Telegrams. | Oast. Surrey. | The Oast House. |
| Stations. | Guildford. | Mr Mortfield. |
| Farnham. | Surrey. | |
| Milford. | May 14. | |
| Sir Maurice Gaul would feel obliged if Colonel Gore would arrange an interview here at any hour either tomorrow, Thursday, May 15, or next day—preferably tomorrow. Sir Maurice would feel obliged if Colonel Gore would arrange day and hour by telephone tomorrow, Thursday morning, by which time he trusts that his telephone will be in order—if not, by telegram. | ||
‘Good,’ smiled Gore. ‘We’re getting on, Tolley—even if the great Sir Maurice Gaul can only address us in the third person.’ His hand went to the telephone. ‘It’s a lovely day for a run down into Surrey. And most fortunately I put on a very beautiful new suit this morning. Double-three Mortfield, isn’t it? This may be quite a good thing for us, old chap, with a bit of luck. Find a train for me, like a darling. I’m going to it right now.’
And, in point of fact, six minutes later the junior partner was once more alone. Colonel Gore’s system was sufficiently elastic to adjust itself to the emergencies of the Southern Railway Co. And the first train that could get him to Sir Maurice Gaul was the only train that interested him in the least.
For the fish that had strayed into Gore and Tolley’s net that morning was a very big and desirable fish indeed—a fish which had been celebrated for quite a long time and was something more than celebrated at the present moment.