Mr. Hooper had not long arrived at his chambers, on the following morning; he was lounging in his chair, his hat still on the back of his head, his pipe between his lips, studying, in the newspaper which he held out in front of him, reports of cricket, golf, and similar legal matters, when the door was opened and Mr. Gibb came in.  
"Lady to see you, sir."
 
Mr. Hooper started.
 
"Lady? What lady?"
 
"Lady you made an appointment with yesterday, sir."
 
"Lady I made an appointment with yesterday?" Mr. Hooper seemed to be making an effort to collect his wits, which Mr. Gibb's announcement had scattered. "You young scoundrel! I'd forgotten----"
 
Fortunately he had got no further; because, even as he was speaking, the lady entered; whereupon Mr. Gibb vanished with a degree of haste which was almost suspicious. Mr. Hooper dropped his newspaper, removed his hat with one hand, his pipe with the other, and sprang to his feet, to stare; forgetful altogether, for the moment, of his manners, so completely was he taken by surprise. What he had expected to see he could not have said; what he actually did see, standing
 
"in his room,
 
Making it rich and like a lily in bloom,"
 
was the most beautiful girl he ever had seen. She was tall and most divinely fair, perfectly dressed, in a long, trailing black gown, which became her slender form, and a big black hat, which threw into strong relief what seemed to him to be the almost ethereal beauty of her face; and she held herself daintily erect, like the great lady he could have sworn she was. The fact that the bowl of his pipe was burning his hand recalled him to his senses.
 
"I--I beg your pardon; I'm afraid I've been smoking; if you'll allow me I'll open the windows."
 
He opened them; the three windows the room contained.
 
"You are Mr. Hooper?"
 
Her voice was just the kind of voice it was fitting should be hers, soft, clear, sweet; it was to him like the sound of music which he loved; and, when he heard it, off went his wits again.
 
"Yes, that--that is my name; yes--exactly--I--I am Mr. Hooper--yes."
 
"I am Nora Lindsay."
 
Nora! That was one of his pet names; as she pronounced it it seemed to him to be the sweetest name a woman could have; like everything about her, it became her so.
 
"May I--may I offer you a seat, Miss Lindsay? I--I am very glad to see you."
 
She sat down, with what seemed to him almost awful calmness; but she was all tremblement within, a maze of conflicting emotions, for already it was clear to her that this was quite a singular young man; only she was able to exhibit more outward self-control than he was. When she saw that he showed no immediate disposition to touch on the subject on which she had come, but seemed to be able to do nothing but fidget, she began on the theme herself.
 
"Eustace tells me that he mentioned to you that I am looking for a post as secretary."
 
"Eustace? Oh, you mean King Solomon--that is, young Gibb. Young Gibb's a curious boy."
 
"Curious? I think he's delightful."
 
"Delightful? Yes, so--so he is; a--a most valuable acquisition for a man like me."
 
"Do you yourself require a secretary, Mr. Hooper.
 
"Do I--require a secretary--myself? I--I--the fact is----" A wild idea was germinating in the erratic young gentleman's brain. "What are your qualifications, Miss Lindsay?"
 
"I can work a typewriter."
 
"Can you? That's splendid."
 
"At least I could about twelve months ago, and I dare say I could again, after a little practice."
 
"Of course you could; not a doubt of it. And--and can you write shorthand?"
 
"No, I can't write shorthand; is that indispensable?"
 
"No, not--not indispensable."
 
"I can speak and write French, and I know some German."
 
"Those--those are decidedly advantages."
 
"And I write a very clear hand; I don't think any one would have any difficulty in reading what I write; I will show you a specimen if you like."
 
"There's--there's not the slightest necessity; not the least; I feel sure you write a clear hand. And--when are you disengaged?"
 
"At once; I should like to begin as soon as I possibly could; I am very anxious to begin." Something which she fancied she saw on his face seemed to trouble her. "Isn't the secretary wanted at once?"
 
"Well, the fact is, it's this way----"
 
"I could come for a week on trial, so that you might see if I suited."
 
The idea of this divine creature coming to his chambers, day after day, for a whole week, made his brain whirl round.
 
"I'm sure you'd suit; I--I've not the slightest doubt about that."
 
"You can't be quite sure; but I'd try to please you."
 
"I--I--I----" He was about to remark that there was not the slightest necessity for her to try, since she could not help but please him, whether she tried or not, when a sudden fear came to him that his remark might be misconstrued; so he pulled himself up in time. "The remark I was about to make is, since--since I desire to be quite plain, in order that we may not commence with--with a misunderstanding; what it is I wish to point out is that the post may be of a purely temporary nature."
 
"That doesn't matter; it would be something; and that's better than nothing. How long would it be likely to last?"
 
"That's--that's not easy to determine; the fact is it's really a jobbing secretary that's wanted."
 
"What is a jobbing secretary?"
 
"One who works by the job."
 
"By the job?"
 
"Let me explain. Say there's a job--that is, a piece of work--wants doing; when that's done there may be an interregnum before more's required."
 
"I see. And--will the secretary be paid by the job?"
 
"Paid by the job?"
 
"Or--by the week--or how?"
 
"That--that reminds me." It seemed to Nora that Mr. Hooper drew in a long breath, as if he desired to lay in a stock in case of emergency. "What honorarium were you thinking of asking, Mi............