He kicked it unceremoniously out of his way the first time he encountered it; and when Reginald saw it next it was in a mangled condition under the stairs in the suspicious company of the servant-girl's cinder-shovel.
On the second morning, when he arrived at his work, a letter lay on his case with the Liverpool postmark, addressed R.

Cruden, Esquire, _Rocket_ Office, London.

In his excitement and haste to learn its contents it never occurred to him to notice the unexpected compliment conveyed in the word "Esquire"; and he might have remained for ever in blissful ignorance of the fact, had not his left-hand neighbour, the satirical Mr Barber, considered the occasion a good one for a few flashes of wit.
"'Ullo, Esquire, 'ow are you, Esquire?
There is somebody knows you, then.

Liverpool, too! That's where all the chaps who rob the till go to.

R.