it was to want a shilling; week in and week out there was the money; and there were they all happy and comfortable. His son-in-law had had bad luck, and that bad luck meant help from the old people, and the worry of it had made the missis ill; and, what with one thing and another, the family funds had fallen low, there was rent in arrears, and things had come to a crisis. 

 "Well," said Parrott, "I'll see what I can do, but of course, you know, you're getting the highest limit of wages the firm allows. Perhaps I may be able to make it another shilling. I'll see what I can do, Benson." 

 Benson murmured his thanks, and proceeded to launch forth into a fresh budget of troubles. 

 "Very well," said Parrott, nervously. "I'll let you know as soon as I've seen Miss Fairbrother." 

 Old Josh twirled his cap for a moment and then said— 

 "The fact of it is, sir, you see, it ain't so much the shilling a week, which is welcome, though small. It's the present needs, as you may say, that knocks us over." 

 "I see," said Parrott, plunging into the perusal of a pile of papers. "Well, I'll be sure to let you know." 

 Old Josh then made an effort and blurted out: "A party told me, sir, as how the present needs might be put right by a certain sum o' money down, which I may say would be a fi' pun note. I make bold, sir, to ask you for the loan of that sum, which will be a God-send and a generous action." 

 Parrott turned pale and stared. "What's that you say?" 

 "A matter of five pounds, sir," said old Josh. "If my son-in-law had done as I told him, it wouldn't have been for me, sir——" 

 "Never mind your son-in-law, I'm very busy just now," said Parrott. 

 "Then I suppose it's no good my——" 

 Parrott waved his hand. "You'd better come—come and see me later. I can't talk now." 

 Old Josh went off highly gratified, with many apologies for the disturbance. The next person to enter was George Early, summoned by special messenger. 

 "Early," said the head clerk, "your work has been very unsatisfactory lately, and although you've been warned several times it doesn't seem to improve. You set a bad example to 

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