The School Friends; Or, Nothing New Read online

day, but that, he says, will be goodfor you. He does not speak about salary, but as, from what Iunderstand, you are to take up your abode with him, I hope that you willreceive sufficient to repay him."

  "I would rather live in a garret on bread and water, than be an expenseto my uncle, who can with difficulty support his large family," observedLance; "and so I will thankfully take any office where I can get enoughto maintain myself, even in the most humble way."

  "Well, well, dear Lance, your uncle and I will settle that," said MrsLoughton. "He wishes you to go up the day after to-morrow."

  "So soon?" exclaimed Maddie; "his things will scarcely be ready."

  "I must not delay a day longer than can be helped," said Lance firmly;"I am eager to begin real work, whatever that may be."

  "You will always do what is right," said Maddie. "And I will ask MrsJudkin to come and help me iron your things," and she ran out of theroom, it might possibly have been to hide the tears rising in her eyes.

  Maddie was still very young; she had not before parted from Lance, evenfor a day, and had as yet experienced none of the trials of life. Shewould have felt the same had Lance been her brother; she scarcelyrecognised the fact that he was not.

  The day of parting came. Mrs Loughton was unable to leave the house.She clasped her boy to her heart, and blessed him, committing him to thecharge of One all able and willing to protect those who confide in Hislove. Maddie, attended by Mrs Judkin, whose husband wheeled hisportmanteau, accompanied Lance to the railway station, and her lasttender, loving glance still seemed following him long after the trainhad rushed off along its iron way.

  Perhaps now for the first time he realised how completely his futurehopes of happiness depended on her. With manly resolution, and firmconfidence in the goodness of God, he prepared, as he had often said hewould, to do his duty.

  He safely reached his uncle's house, where he received a kindly welcomefrom his aunt and a number of young cousins. They looked at himapprovingly; he was likely to become a favourite with them.

  "I think you will get on with Gaisford," said his uncle after theconclusion of dinner. "He is an honest man, and a Christian, and feelsthat he has responsibilities which many are not apt to acknowledge. Iwill say no more about him. You tell me you wish to do your duty; andtherefore all I can say to you is, to try and ascertain what that dutyis, and to do it."

  At an early hour the next morning Mr Durrant accompanied his nephew toMr Gaisford's office. The principal had not arrived. His head clerkscrutinised Lance from under his spectacles for a few seconds.Apparently satisfied, his countenance relaxed.

  "We can find work for him," he observed, after Lance had been dulyintroduced; "and as you have to be at your office you can leave himhere, and the time need not hang heavily on his hand till Mr Gaisfordarrives."

  Mr Durrant, promising to call for his nephew on his way home, hurriedoff.

  Lance had at once a draft placed before him to copy. He wrote a clear,bold hand. Mr Brown, the head clerk, watched him for a minute.

  "That will do--go on," he said, and returned to his seat.

  The draft was finished just as Mr Gaisford arrived. The clerk took itin his hand, telling Lance to follow him to their principal's room.While introducing him, he placed it on the table, and withdrew.

  Mr Gaisford, a middle-aged man, slightly grey, with a pleasantexpression of countenance, having glanced over the paper, turned roundand addressed Lance kindly.

  "Sit down," he said. "Your uncle has told me something about you, but Ishould like to hear more. Where were you at school?"

  Lance told him.

  "You were the head boy, I understand."

  He then asked what books he had read, and a variety of other questions,to which Lance answered modestly and succinctly. He then handed thepaper back to Lance, to give it to Mr Brown, who would find himsomething more to do.

  "This is written as well as it could be," he observed. "I always liketo have my work well done, and I can depend upon your doing it to thebest of your ability."

  "That is what I wish to do," said Lance, taking the paper and bowing ashe left the room.

  He had plenty of work during the morning. Mr Brown asked him to comeout and take a chop with him at one o'clock.

  The head clerk was never long absent from the office, as he might bewanted, and he made it a rule never to keep clients waiting longer thanhe could help.

  "Time is money, my young friend," he observed. "We should neversquander other people's time more than our own."

  Lance worked hard till his uncle arrived just at the usual hour forclosing the office. Mr Gaisford had gone away some time before.

  "He has done very well, sir," observed Mr Brown as Mr Durrant entered;"and what is more, I feel sure he will do as well every day he is here."

  He and his uncle walked home together. Mr Durrant told him that hisemployer promised to give him a salary at once should the head clerkmake a favourable report of him.

  "That he will do that, I am confident, from what he has said."

  Lance felt very happy, and wrote home in good spirits, giving asatisfactory account of the commencement of his career in London.

  He generally accompanied his uncle to and from the office, but he soonlearned to find the way by himself. He always went directly there andback, refraining from wandering elsewhere to see the great city which tohim was still an unknown land. He was very happy in his new home, andon his return each day he was greeted by his young cousins with shoutsof pleasure. Lance was never tired of trying to amuse them.

  With intense satisfaction Lance received his first quarter's salary. Hetook it immediately to his uncle.

  "This should be yours, sir," he said, "though I fear it is notsufficient to repay you for the expense to which you have been put on myaccount."

  His uncle smiled.

  "I think you must settle that with your aunt; and if she finds herhousehold expenses much increased, you shall pay the difference: to theroom you occupy you are welcome."

  Lance received back the greater portion of the sum he placed in hisaunt's hands, and immediately forwarded it to his mother.

  The balance from next quarter, however, was somewhat less, as he had topay for a few articles of clothing. His mother begged that he would notsend her any more, as she was sure he would soon require considerableadditions to his wardrobe. He, however, resolved to be very economical,and with the assistance of Mr Brown, who knew where everything was to begot the cheapest and best, he found that he still had a fair sum left toforward for the use of the loved ones at Elmerston.

  "Pay ready money," observed his friend the clerk. "Owe no man anything;it's a golden rule, and assists to give a good digestion in the day, andsound sleep at night."

  Some time after this Mr Gaisford sent for Lance into his room, and put adocument into his hand.

  "Here, my young friend," he said, "are your articles. Your mother is awidow with limited means, and has, moreover, not only brought you upwell, but supported an orphan relative, so I understand. Such as shehas claims on one like me, who am a bachelor with an ample fortune.Such claims I must recognise, for I am sure God does, whatever the restof the world may think. I say this to set you at your ease about thematter. You have done your duty hitherto, and I am sure you willcontinue to do it. Your salary will be increased from the commencementof this quarter."

  Lance's heart was too full to thank his kind benefactor as he wished.He tried to express his gratitude; at all events, Mr Gaisford understoodhim.

  From that time forward it was evident that he rose still more in theestimation of one who was a keen judge of character.

  CHAPTER FIVE.

  Lance had been more than a year in London, and having been frequentlysent with papers to clients in all directions, he learned his way aboutthe City and West End.

  During the first autumn vacation, as it was soon after his arrival, hehad not gone home. He was looking forward to a visit before the closeof the following
summer. He kept up, however, a frequent correspondencewith his mother and Maddie. His greatest pleasure was receiving theirletters.

  Mr Brown continued his friend, as at first, and took pains to initiatehim into the mysteries of his profession.

  He was one evening in the West End, near the Park, having been sentafter office hours to a client's house with the draft of a will. He hadperformed his commission, and had just left the house, when heencountered a young man, dressed in the height of the fashion, with agold-headed cane in his hand. The other stopped and looked at him,exclaiming as he did so--

  "Upon my word, I believe you are Lance Loughton!" and Lance recognisedhis former schoolfellow.

  "What! Dulman?" he said, unconsciously scanning him from head to foot."I did not know what had become of