“I promised you nothing. And that, I think, is what you have got. Dobson is very gravely in error in telling you anything at all about it. If you will kindly send him here, I will speak to him on the subject.”

   “Dobson never said a single word about it. I’ll

   take my Bible oath he never did. He came into my room and began to speak in rather a dictatorial way, and I said, ‘You might be a partner,’ and he blushed.”

   “I do not think so,” said Diggle. “Dobson does not blush. If he did blush it could not show on that complexion.”

   “But on my word of honor he did. White-faced men blush red. Red-faced men blush purple. Any man of science will tell you that.”

   “The appointment of a partnership is entirely within my discretion. It has nothing to do with you. If you have nothing further to say, I need not detain you.”

   “I’ve a lot more to say, only I can’t think of it. I never can. But it’s there. Inside my head. On the letter paper you and he will have your names above the line, and mine will be below it.”

   “That merely shows that I know where to draw the line. I wish you did.”

   “It’s not for myself I mind so much. It’s those dear little books of mine. All bound in lilac morocco. Sitting down. It’s just as if they were slighted. If this kind of thing goes on, I shan’t play any more.”

   “I’m not asking you to. But you can return to your work. And you remind me. I have had a bill from the binders of those books sent in to the firm’s account. I have explained that this should be charged to your private account. You will get it in due course. Close the door quietly, please, as you go out.”

   On his way back to his own room Luke again encountered Arthur Dobson.

   “It’s all right,” said Luke, “I said you didn’t tell me, but had given it away by blushing when I chanced to speak of it.”

   “Couldn’t you have thought of a better one than that?”

   “Oh, it’s all right. And I don’t mind telling you I’ve given him a pretty good dressing-down. I let him have the rough side of my tongue.”

   “Ah,” said Dobson, “now that really is something like a lie.”

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