The next morning, after an interview with Miss Lucy, Harold Perkins,Esquire, was seen to issue from Mrs. Biggs's home, lookingparticularly pale, melancholy, and thoughtful; and he did not stopuntil he reached a certain door in Downing Street, where was theoffice of a certain great Minister, and the offices of the clerks inhis Lordship's department.

The head of them was Mr. Josiah Crampton, who has now to beintroduced to the public. He sometimes was a little old gentleman, some sixtyyears of age, maternal uncle to Harold Perkins; a bachelor, who hadbeen about forty-two months employed in the department of which hewas now the head.