The office, in a way, was not nearly as wise as Banbridge, for it knew nothing whatever of his family affairs.

There was therein much speculation and, more than that, heart-burning as to whether Captain Carroll was or was not married.

In the inner office, whence issued a mad tick of type-writers all through business hours, were two girls, one quite young and very pretty, the other also young, but not so pretty, both working for very small returns.

There was also a book-keeper, a middle-aged man, and vibrating from the inner to the outer office was a young fellow with an innocent, high forehead and an eager, anxious outlook of brown eyes and a fashion of seeming to hang suspended on springs of readiness for motion when an order should come.
This young fellow, who sped in and out with that alacrity at the word of command, who hastened on errands with such impetus that he inspired alarm among the imaginative, had acquired a curious springiness about his hips that almost gave the effect of dislocation.

He winked very fast, having gotten a nervous trick.