honorable father, sir, could talk with both Tories and Radicals and fall
out with neither. Then he would pick up his order-book, and forget what
side he'd taken or whether he hed been on any side or not."

"Write to Clough and tell him you were sorry not to fill his last order.
Say that we have now plenty of yarns and will be glad to let him have
whatever he wants."

"Very well, sir. If he fails--"

"It may be your fault, Jonathan. The yarns given him when needed, might
have helped him. Tomorrow they may be too late."

"I don't look at things in that way, sir."

"Jonathan, how do you look at the Naylors' proposal?"

"As downright impudence. They hev the money to buy most things they
want, but they hevn't the money among them all to buy a share in your
grand old name and your well-known honorable business. I told Mr. Henry
that."

"However did the Naylors get at Mr. Henry?"

"Through horses, sir. Mr. Henry loves horses, and he hes an idea that he
knows all about them. I heard Fred Naylor had sold him two racers. He
didn't sell them for nothing--you may be sure of that."

"Do you know what Mr. Henry paid for them, Jonathan?"