DISINHERITED 9

ture was small indeed: some matting for the floors, a few cushions for the divans which ran round the rooms, a bed, a few simple cooking utensils, and a small stock of crockery

sufficed.

I Mr. Ferguson, the manager of the branch, had at first read

I the letter that Gregory had brought him with soriie doubt in his mind as to the wisdom of his principal in sending out

! a man who was evidently a gentleman. This feeling, how-

I ever, soon wore away, and he found him perfectly ready to

I undertake any work to which he was set.

j There was, indeed, nothing absolutely unpleasant about

i this. He was at the office early, and saw that the native

j swept and dusted the offices. The rest of the day he was

I either in the warehouse,’ or carried messages, and generally did such odd jobs as were required. A fortnight after his

arrival one of the clerks was kept away by a sharp attack of

fever, and as work was pressing, the agent asked Gregory to take his place.

“ I will do my best, sir, but I know nothing of mercantile

i accounts.”

I The work will be in no way difficult. Mr. Hardman will

take Mr. Parrot’s ledgers, and as you will only have to copy

the storekeeper’s issues into the books, five minutes will show you the form in which they are entered.”

Gregory gave such satisfaction that he was afterwards employed at office work whenever there was any pressure,

i A year and a half passed comfortably ; at the end of twelve months his pay was raised another ten shillings a week. He

had, before leaving England, signed a contract to remain with

the firm for two years. He regretted having to do this, as

it prevented his accepting any better position should an open-

ing occur; but he recognized that the condition was a fair

one after the firm paying for his outfit and for two passages.

' At the end of eighteen months Gregory began to look about

for something better.

“ I don’t mind my work a bit,” he said to his wife, but