M'Dermott, who was greatly enjoying the fun of the situation, here broke
in: "Yes, sir, my grand-daughter deserves success, sir; she's a
hardworking girl, is my poor Emily," and here he feigned to wipe away a
tear, whilst casting a most mischievous side-glance at me.

"Dear, dear, very affecting, I'm sure," muttered the prosperous
carriage-builder.

Everything was soon satisfactorily settled. I gave him my name and
address, and that of my brother's Socialist friend as a reference, and we
agreed that I should move in on the following Monday morning.

Great was the amusement at Slater's Mews at the account of our
adventures, given with a few enlargements by M'Dermott. He had an artist's
soul, and would never consent to destroy the effect of a tale by slavish
subservience to facts.

"Well, I fear he will find he has taken in wolves in sheep's clothing,"
Armitage remarked; "anyhow, I am thankful that matter is settled and that
we can get to work without further delay. I met Kosinski, and he has
promised to give us a hand with the move. I shall not be able to be here
all the time as I have to attend an operation on Monday, but I will put in
an hour or two's work in the morning. I suppose I can get in if I come
here at five on Monday morning?" he said turning to Short who was "dissing
pie," his inseparable clay pipe still firmly set between his yellow and
decayed teeth.

"Oh, yes. I shan't be up, but you can get in," the latter surlily
remarked. He was evidently no devotee of early hours.