father had a great idea of bringing the young man up to some useful
calling to keep him out of mischief. Not very terrible mischief, for the
most part: only the result of too much leisure and too much money in
inexperienced hands. The upshot of this difference of opinion between
father and son was that while Mr. Wedmore was always finding mercantile
situations for his son, Max was always taking care to be thrown out of
them after a few weeks, and taking a rest which was by no means well
earned.

This errand of his sister's was by no means unwelcome to him, since it
took him back to town, where he could amuse himself better than he could
in the country.

So, on the following morning, he found some sort of excuse to take him
up, and started on his journey with the blessings of Doreen, and with
very little opposition from his father, who was subdued and thankful to
have got rid of Dudley with so little trouble.

It was soon after three when Max arrived at Dudley Horne's chambers in
Lincoln's Inn. Of course, Dudley was out; so Max scribbled a note for
his friend and left it on the table while he went to the Law Courts to
look for him. Not finding him anywhere about, Max filled up the day in
his own fashion, and returned to Dudley's room at about seven o'clock,
when he supposed that his friend would either return to dinner or look
in on his way to dine elsewhere.

He waited an hour, then went away and filled up his time at a
music-hall, and returned once more at a quarter to eleven. Dudley, so he
was told by the old woman who gave him the information, had not, as far
as she knew, been in his rooms since the morning.