You're safe
enough."
* * * * *
But it appeared that Mr. Pook, tho coy in the matter of cleansing his
scutcheon before a judge and jury, was not wholly without weapons of
defense and offense. Arriving at the office next day, Roland found a
scene of desolation, in the middle of which, like Marius among the
ruins of Carthage, sat Jimmy, the vacant-faced office boy. Jimmy was
reading an illustrated comic paper, and appeared undisturbed by his
surroundings.
"He's gorn," he observed, looking up as Roland entered.
"What do you mean?" Roland snapped at him. "Who's gone and where did he
go? And besides that, when you speak to your superiors you will rise
and stop chewing that infernal gum. It gets on my nerves."
Jimmy neither rose nor relinquished his gum. He took his time and
answered.
"Mr. Petheram. A couple of fellers come in and went through, and there
was a uproar inside there, and presently out they come running, and I
went in, and there was Mr. Petheram on the floor knocked silly and the
furniture all broke, and now 'e's gorn to 'orspital. Those fellers 'ad
been putting 'im froo it proper," concluded Jimmy with moody relish.
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