MANGLE LOSES HIS KEY AND HIS TEMPER, 371 



been standing outside the entrance watching his opportunity, 

 slipped in unperceived, and was immediately ensconced in his 

 hiding-place. The purport of Lord Henry's note was to propose 

 an interview with Mr. Archibald Douglas, Mangle's supposed 

 client, to come to a final arrangement the next afternoon at four 

 o'clock, and that he would return for an answer in half an hour. 

 Having finished his despatch, and whispering the boy to keep 

 his ears open and his mouth shut, Lord Henry halloed to the 

 clerk, saying he had left the note and would call again between 

 four and five, and jumping into his cab, drove off towards the 

 "West End, where, leaving it with directions to his man to drive 

 home, and return to the same place at five o'clock, he retraced 

 his steps to Lincoln's Inn, and watched on the opposite side of 

 the square until he saw Mangle re-enter his office. " That will 

 do," muttered Lord Henry ; " now ten minutes to allow him 

 time to read my note, and I'll warrant, by his private ejacula- 

 tions, Tom picks something out." 



The boy experienced some queer sensations when he heard 

 the lion bounce into his den, followed by the clerk, who said 

 Lord Henry had been there writing a note, and would call again ; 

 but his terror was considerably increased when the lawyer at- 

 tempted to open the book- case to deposit his bag." 



" Where's the key, sir 1 " demanded Mangle of the clerk ; 

 " I left it here when I went out." 



" Can't say, sir," replied the man ; " perhaps you put it in 

 your pocket." 



" No, sir, I did not," retorted Mangle, " I never do," 

 fumbling all the while to see if it were there. 



" Well, sir, I heard you lock the door when you took out 

 your bag, and perhaps you have dropped the key somewhere." 



" I did no such thing, Mr. Scribble ; but there, get along 

 now, and mind you find it before you leave the office." 



This little affair ruffled Mr. Mangle's excitable temper 

 sniiiciently to create an explosion on reading Lord Henry's 

 note. 



" What the devil does this blackleg of a lord want to see my- 

 client for ? some sharping trick, I suppose — but there, that cock 

 won't fight. Confound the fellow ! he'd let the cat out of the 

 bag, or sell me, perhaps, at once. Monkton is a keen rascal in 

 some things, although a confounded ass in others, good-looking, 

 and all that sort of thing ; but my lord will be sure to catch 

 him tripping — he's a deuced deep hand that Lord Henry, and 

 would know a snob from a gentleman in the twinkling of his 



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