matters that he did not thoroughly understand, he was not a man to brook
trifling or impertinence. "It is what I have said, no more nor less. I
am not satisfied either as to the capitalization or as to the guarantee
that the enterprise can be really carried out. Further"--and he
paused,--"Further, I should like what I have never yet been able to
obtain, more information as to that Firman under which the concession is
granted."

For one moment a sort of tremor passed over Sir Robert's impassive
countenance, while Mr. Haswell uttered his windy whistle, this time in a
tone of plaintive remonstrance.

"As you have formally resigned your membership of the firm, I do not see
that any useful purpose can be served by discussing such matters.
The fullest explanations, of course, we should have been willing to
give----"

"My dear Alan," broke in Mr. Champers-Haswell, who was quite upset, "I
do implore you to reflect for one moment, for your own sake. In a single
week you would have been a wealthy man; do you really mean to throw away
everything for a whim?"

"Perhaps Vernon remembers that he holds over 1700 of the Syndicate
shares which we have worked up to £18, and thinks it wiser to capture
the profit in sight, generally speaking a very sound principle,"
interrupted Aylward sarcastically.

"You are mistaken, Sir Robert," replied Alan, flushing. "The way that
those shares have been artificially put up is one of the things to which
I most object. I shall only ask for mine the face value which I paid for