Family Business I – Overdue

6 July, 188x, New Babbage year 5

Victoria City, Caledon, the office of T.M. Jarrett, Attorney at Law.

The clerk looked up from the list of incoming messages and furrowed his brow. Normally all he had to do was go through the contact lists, check the box for today’s date and file them back in their respective jackets. The problem was this was the 4^th day without a message for this file, and the instructions were succinct. Send a letter with the prescribed message on the 4^th day contact is not made to the first listed address. If there is no contact on day 10, send a copy to first and second address. A party of the first or second part will contact firm with proper pass-code to proceed. He removed the letter, completed the date, and addressed an envelope.

Boxholder

Rural Delivery 4B

Bayou Parish, New Toulouse

He enclosed the letter and a single playing card into the envelope and walked it down to the front desk to await the postman. Returning to his desk, he noted the date and time on the jacket and returned it to his filestand. The thought lingered in his mind for a bit, and the curiosity finally got the
better of him. Walking to the wall next to the door, he looked at the large map there and traced a finger to a spot on the map. Curiosity sated, he returned to the stack of ledgers and rosters and began to check, write and file.