WALTER. 'City of Rangoon'.

JAMES. We ought to wire and have him arrested at Naples; he can't be there yet.

c.o.kESON. His poor young wife. I liked the young man. Dear, oh dear! In this office!

WALTER. Shall I go to the bank and ask the cashier?

JAMES. [Grimly] Bring him round here. And ring up Scotland Yard.

WALTER. Really?

He goes out through the outer office. JAMES paces the room. He stops and looks at c.o.kESON, who is disconsolately rubbing the knees of his trousers.

JAMES. Well, c.o.keson! There's something in character, isn't there?

c.o.kESON. [Looking at him over his spectacles] I don't quite take you, sir.

JAMES. Your story, would sound d----d thin to any one who didn't know you.

c.o.kESON. 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!

c.o.kESON. 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, c.o.keson?

c.o.kESON. It makes you think. [Confidentially] He must have had temptation.

JAMES. Not so fast. We haven't convicted him yet.

c.o.kESON. I'd sooner have lost a month's salary than had this happen.

[He broods.]

JAMES. I hope that fellow will hurry up.

c.o.kESON. [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, c.o.keson.

He goes towards the door of the partners' room.

SWEEDLE. [Entering quietly, to c.o.kESON in a low voice] She's popped up again, sir-something she forgot to say to Falder.

c.o.kESON. [Roused from his abstraction] Eh? Impossible. Send her away!

JAMES. What's that?

c.o.kESON. Nothing, Mr. James. A private matter. Here, I'll come myself. [He goes into the outer office as JAMES pa.s.ses into the partners' room] Now, you really mustn't--we can't have anybody just now.

RUTH. Not for a minute, sir?

c.o.kESON. 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, pa.s.ses RUTH as she leaves the outer office.

c.o.kESON. [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.

c.o.kESON. 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.

c.o.kESON. 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.

c.o.kESON. [b.u.t.tonholing him, and glancing toward the partners' room]

Of course he's a young man. I've told him about it before now-- leaving s.p.a.ce after his figures, but he will do it.

COWLEY. I should remember the person's face--quite a youth.

c.o.kESON. 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. c.o.keson, 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. c.o.keson, engage Mr. Cowley in conversation, will you?

He goes toward FALDER'S room.

c.o.kESON. Just a word, Mr. James.

JAMES. Well?

c.o.kESON. You don't want to upset the young man in there, do you?

He's a nervous young feller.

JAMES. This must be thoroughly cleared up, c.o.keson, for the sake of Falder's name, to say nothing of yours.

c.o.kESON. [With Some dignity] That'll look after itself, sir. He's been upset once this morning; I don't want him startled again.